Someone to Ride the River With
by mmerainbows
Summary: Western!Klaine, Badboy!Blaine, NonCon Kurt/Karofsky Lima appears like a bustling frontier town with all the pleasures a man could want. Kurt however knows the truth about the town, and how the families in power abuse their authority. He wants to get out, but he's deep in debt. Meanwhile Blaine comes to Lima for the annual Cowpoke competition. Can these two help one another?
1. Chapter 1

They say the secret to an epic western tale is to start with a horse. Some noble steed that is a symbol of the good being brought into a town or county. Upon the noble steed will be the hero of the tale - usually one of the classic archetypes of westerns like the sheriff, the rustler, a maverick, or even the change-of-heart bandit. The classics will describe how the horse kicks up the dust as it is ridden into town and how everyone looks to the protagonist in wonder.

However for a story to have just one hero, one person who saves the damsel or sets the town straight is a grave injustice to the way societies actually work. A real hero is actually a martyr, who someone spurs the indifferent and oppressed to rise up. Their actions show the common people that the previously assumed impossible is possible. They are there to inspire and are used to stimulate a change in unfortunate situations.

This is the story of not just one, but two heroes. There is no horses starting this story since one of the heroes already lives in town and can't afford a horse, so we're going to start with him.

His name is Kurt and he lived in a boarding home over the saloon where he worked as a server in the county of Lima. Lima was a bustling pioneer town. It was established as a central point to numerous cattle ranches and local coal mines in the central till plains of what would become Ohio one day. West of the Plateaus and north of the bluegrass and Ohio river valley. It had just been a simple town before with a general store, a livery stable, and the saloon, but when an eager politician saw it as an excellent spot to have a railroad town, it boomed. Now it was a constant home to a few hundred residents and served the ranch hands and miners of the area. It boasted a post office, land office, carpenters store, school house, blacksmith shop, several chapels, local cemetery, laundry house, a newer livery stable, granary, train station, doctors office, jailhouse, meeting hall, tack shop, two general stores, and a renowned bordello which was built up beside the saloon.

Kurt spent his evenings working as a bartender and server in the saloon with his best friend Rachel. During the day he worked as a tailor out of his room in an effort to try and pay his bills and send money to his family. His dad, stepmom, and stepbrother worked a ranch now far out of Lima where Kurt had grown up. The ranch had done very well, specializing in some of the best cattle in the area, but when Kurt's dad had gotten sick, it fell on hard times and Kurt took out a loan from one of the two Lima power families in order to make sure his dad didn't lose the ranch.

When the town was booming, two families rose to power in the area - the Karofsky's and the Smythe's. Both families came from old money and both heavily invested in the development of Lima. Now both families owned most of Lima in one way or another - either by owning the shops, or owning the people through loansharking.

The only place that the families didn't have a their fingers in was the bordello, and neither was interested in owning it either, though both families held it in high respect. The matriarchs of both families wouldn't have accepted their husbands having stock in the bordello even though they probably knew that their husbands used their services. Most of that respect was due to the madam, one Quinn Fabray, who made sure her ladies of pleasure were of high quality and manners.

Kurt got along well with Quinn. She demanded respect really and Kurt did most of the tailoring for her and her girls who she insisted on keeping in the height of fashion. Kurt enjoyed designing and creating the dresses for the girls as it allowed him to dabble in what he really wanted to do - escape to New York to create clothing for those in truly high society. It had been his plan originally, before the fiasco with his father, then everything changed. Now Kurt could barely put away any coin to move away, and so his dreams were on hold.

It didn't help that the Karofsky's, who owned the saloon and the boarding rooms above it, kept increasing the rent. Every time Kurt thought he could start budgeting to put money away in savings, his rent increased and he found himself short again. If he was a more robust man, he would find work as a ranch hand during part of the year and be able to put away a lot more, but he found the long outdoor hours unwanted, limited food choices distasteful, and having to camp with many other men who weren't comfortable with the fact that he was gay was out of the question. He was lucky he hadn't been beaten and dragged out by horses into the wilds a long time ago given his sexuality. He still was given his share of verbal insults and the occasional shove, but it wasn't as bad as he heard it could be for gay men in other areas.

Lima business was always steady, but it was the annual cowpoke competition that really brought business to the town. Ranch hands, cowboys, bandits, and anyone who felt they had the skills to win competitions in riding, shooting, roping, or rustling crowded the town. Big prizes were put up to the best of the best in all the competitions. Last year Kurt had tried to sign up for some of the competitions, as he had grown up on a ranch and felt he had some decent talent, but his application had been blocked by the Smythe's. Kurt didn't know why and didn't ask. If the Smythe's or Karofsky's made a decision, you abided by it. That was the law of the land.

That unspoken law was compounded by the fact that David Karofsky, son of the patriarch of the Karofsky family, was the sheriff, and Sebastian Smythe, son of the Smythe patriarch, was the main deputy. They employed only those willing to abide by their families wills as their lawmen, and ensured the absolute rule of their families in the town. Quite simply, you didn't cross them.

Kurt was always kept busy during the competitions anyhow as the saloon was always full of competitors and fans. Most were lousy tippers, so he never got much for dealing with their drunken debaucheries. Rachel got more in tips, but she was a woman and had to put up with their flirting. It was amazing how many men thought they could impress her into bed just by giving her a big tip, and how many of those men were ridiculously rude when they found out she wasn't going to put out.

Thankfully the bordello was next door and Quinn was always more than happy to take in a drunk with money to spare. As she said, they wouldn't ask for much and were willing to pay more than the going rate. She had no problem earning a profit. She would certainly earn a tidy profit at the upcoming cowpoke competitions as this year she had issued brothel tokens to be given to winners of the individual competitions. Quinn knew how to run her business, and giving out a prize like that for free ultimately ensured that the business returned threefold.

As it happened, Kurt was spending this particular afternoon putting the final touches on a new set of dresses for the bordello ladies. The competition would be starting up in less than a week and Quinn wanted her ladies to showcase their "assets" in fresh style. Kurt was quite pleased with the results. He kept tabs on the high society ladies who stopped through the town and made notes of what they were wearing. He had bought the richest looking burgundy satin he could find and created streamlined dresses that would make the ladies look proper until they slid a leg out of the slit he had placed on the right side. The chests of the dresses had built in corsets to accentuate the bosoms, and just the right amount of cleavage would be showing. The sleeves were puffed around the shoulders and led to the elbows where they would meet up with matching gloves. Quinn had declared Kurt a genius when she had saw one of the finished products.

A knock sounded on his door and he set down the pins he was using on his single bed which was doubling as a workspace in the small room. He presumed it would be Rachel who had been hounding him all this past week, wanting him to help her prep the saloon early to prepare for the competition and the increased business it would bring. Rachel may have well have been a sister to him with the nagging and occasional slights, but he was fond of her and they both shared a secret love of music and theatre. Rachel had been courted on and off by Kurt's step brother Finn, and currently their relationship was in a state of limbo while Finn was busy on the ranch. Kurt really just wanted them to get on with the inevitability that would be marriage between Finn and Rachel, if only to not have to hear each of them worry about the other. Rachel could move out to the ranch and not have to worry about the constant attention from the leering old coots that frequented the saloon. Finn would have the love and care of a woman who appreciated his simple and humble nature.

Kurt opened the door with a jerk of his hand, the door was stiff and never put in quite right so it took a good sharp force to open it on the first try. His gaze was met not by Rachel, but by the sheriff, David Karofsky. David stood slightly taller than Kurt, his height increased by a black derby hat sitting atop his short brown hair. His sheriff badge glinted as the light from Kurt's window hit it where it was pinned to David's brown notched vest.

Kurt swallowed uncertainly, knowing that if David had come calling, it wasn't going to be anything that he wanted to hear. He took a step back and without being invited, David took a step forward, looking over Kurt's one room home with clear disdain, his nose turning up and his lips puckering sourly.

David's eyes glanced on the pile of dresses and he snickered, "Going to join them at the whorehouse? Hate to break it to you lady, but you have the wrong parts."

Kurt steadied himself and took in a sharp, irritated breath. He had so much he could say back to David, but couldn't risk it. He owed his family too much in loans, and his job and home were both owned by them. He wouldn't say anything kind though, he decided that a long time ago in dealing with David, so he instead remained silent, waiting for David to state why he had come.

David scanned over the rest of the room briefly before turning his sights back on Kurt, "You've got to give us some more in rent."

Kurt blanched and his jaw dropped. His rent had just been increased last month. He had to cut back on his food supply in order to make sure he kept the place as it was. "What do you mean? It just did increase. I can't afford more!"

David smirked, seemingly enjoying Kurt's displeasure. "Town is going to be short on rooms with the competition. Supply and demand. Demand has gone up and supply is low so we're increasing the rent. You pay or you get out. 10 coin more."

Kurt winced and put a hand to the temple of his head. That was more than all of his groceries for the month. There was no way. He had already negotiated a price with Quinn so he couldn't ask for more for the dresses either.

"Look. I just don't make enough between both jobs David. There has to be someway we can negotiate this. I'm still paying back the loan for my dad's ranch too." Kurt put on his best pleading eyes as he looked to the broader man, inwardly acknowledging how disgusted he was with himself for doing it.

David's lips pursed and he licked them over, looking thoughtfully at Kurt which in turn made Kurt inwardly cringe. "Well you could always do me some favors."

Kurt's browed perked up on his forehead, "Favors? I could do some tailoring for you free of charge. Sure."

That set David off into a bit of a raucous laugh, "Oh no!" The brutish man winked at Kurt, "No. I meant FAVOURS."

Once again, Kurt's jaw dropped and he glanced side to side to see if he was really the only one hearing this. Kurt felt a pit grow in stomach and he looked blankly at David, both eyebrows up. Kurt knew what it meant, he just wasn't about to say it, especially not to David, who up to this point, Kurt assumed was straighter than an arrow.

David's voice dropped into a low growl as he kept his steel gaze on Kurt, "You think about it. Pay me or play with me. Your choice princess. Rent is due Friday one way or another."

Kurt made himself nod. It was a slow and pathetic gesture as he tried to wrap his mind around what had just occurred. David moved to leave and then stopped, turning and stabbing a finger square in the center of Kurt's chest which forced Kurt to exhale sharply.

"You tell anyone I made you this deal and you can expect to be dragged behind my carriage until all that's left of you is a red streak on the ground. Got it?"

Kurt rapidly nodded this time. Threats he understood.

David left then and Kurt closed the door behind him before weakly dropping to the ground, cradling his knees against his chest and hiding his face in-between their peaks. He wasn't sure how much longer he could keep on in this hell. His dreams of overcoming his circumstances seemed to shrink more and more all the time and he was having to face the reality that he might always be stuck here, no better than an indentured servant, and a shell of a person.

He had thought once before of ignoring the debts and just catching a train to New York and escaping it all, until he reminded himself of his family. Other's had tried fleeing their debts in Lima and escaping to start a new life elsewhere, only to discover that their families had ended up being the ones to pay the debt – with extra interest in the way of beatings, or rape. He would never put his family in harm's way like that, and because of it, he was trapped in Lima.

Trapped in Lima with David Karofsky no less. The man-child David had made his life hell in the schoolyard, leading the other boys in taunting and teasing. Now David was one of the most powerful men in Lima and made his life no less worse. The insults from his childhood had continued, now compounded with financial demands, and now this.

Maybe it was a joke. A prank to make Kurt look like a fool in front of others. Make him appear like a predatory gay if he accepted… but what choice was he going to have? He couldn't take out another loan and Rachel had no money of her own to borrow to Kurt.

Kurt would have to find the money; there was no way around it. Maybe Quinn had something else he could do to earn the cash and he could ask for an advance. Doing David a "favor" wasn't even a real option and he knew it. Even if David had been serious, Kurt didn't know north from south when it came to sex. It's not like there was anyone around Lima who was gay and out except for him to ask.

Kurt rubbed the forming tears out of his eyes and forced himself to stand up and continue working on the dresses. A few more pins to remove, and he was done. He carefully scooped them up in both hands and maneuvered his way out, making sure he opened the door beforehand so he didn't have to worry about opening it with his hands full.

Kurt slowly walked next door to the bordello where the girls in the lobby room cooed to him. They were all wearing different gowns that he had tailored for them in the past, usually in pink or red tones.

"Oh Kurt honey, those are absolutely gorgeous!"

"Where's mine?!"

"Oh sweetie. You are just so talented."

Within moments several girls who were all gushing over the new dresses surrounded him. Kurt chuckled and instantly his mood improved. The girls were always kind to him and not because Quinn loved him, but because being gay made him the safest kind of man to be around. Despite Quinn's tight reign on the bordello, occasionally one of the girls ended up bruised and cut up from a vicious lover.

"Alright girls! Let him breathe!" Quinn's voice erupted over the chaos and the girls rushed back to their seats to let the boss do business. Quinn kept her hair up in a tight bun as compared to the girls who wore their hair loose or in braids. She wore a taffeta skirt, not of Kurt's design, and a puffed white blouse. Quinn dressed very conservatively when she was off doing errands around town, which was what she must have been up to today given her attire.

"It's really alright Quinn. I don't mind." Kurt spoke from behind a ruffle that had slid in front of his face and now covered it from sight. He felt Quinn's hands come beside his under the dress pile and she lifted them into her own hands, taking them to one of the tables in the lobby where patrons could have a drink while waiting for a lady. She set them down there and looked them over with a satisfied smile and nod.

"Excellent work, as always. These will be perfect."

Kurt beamed. He reveled in the praise of his work, especially since he put so much time and effort into it.

Quinn handed Kurt a bank note for the agreed on sum and as Kurt took it, he hesitated a moment before asking.

"Quinn. Do you have any more work for me to do? My rent was increased and…"

Quinn stopped him mid-sentence with a tsk, and a shake of her head, "Damned Karofsky's. They just can't keep doing that."

Kurt nodded in agreement, but added, "They do though."

"Well sweetie, I'll ask the girls to round up any mending they have and see what we can find for you to do hmm?" Quinn offered.

Kurt smiled softly. Mending wouldn't be enough to cover the increase, but at least it would be a start. "Thank you Quinn. I don't know what I'd do without you."

The blonde gave Kurt a dismissive wave. "You'd be stuck sewing up socks all day, that's what. I'm just lucky I found someone with as much talent in fashion as you in this town."

Kurt chuckled and gave Quinn a little bow in respect before heading out, the girls waving and bidding him goodbye.

He walked to the bank to cash the note. Kurt would have to ration out his food for the rest of the week and put this all towards the rent in addition to whatever other funds he could scrounge up.

As he walked he nodded to Mike and Tina, standing outside the doctor office where Mike served as the town doctor and Tina as the nurse. They were both second generation Asians of some type, and unless someone was hurt, no one in town made the effort to talk to them. For that reason alone, Kurt was always kind and polite to them. He knew what it was to be an outcast. Kurt had brought them many saloon patrons who had imbibed too much or who had been wounded in a brawl.

Mike and Tina both nodded back and smiled. Kurt imagined they were enjoying the calm before the storm. Once the competitions started up, they'd have their clinic full from those wounded in shoot-outs, bull wrestling, and all the other events, not to mention the brawls that would likely occur when you had too many men together who were competing and drinking.

Kurt reached the bank and stepped in, waiting his turn in a short line to the till where the bankers were counting and sorting cash. Eventually he got to the front and got his note cashed, quickly pocketing the cash.

Kurt didn't keep his money in the bank. He didn't trust the establishment. He saw more and more people using it, but he wasn't comfortable enough with it yet. Besides, it wasn't like he had money to save anyhow.

As he was walking out he felt hands against his chest and he was shoved against the wall. He gasped and looked at his assailant – Sebastian Smythe.

"Watch where you're going lady face." Sebastian laughed darkly and walked in front of the line straight to the teller to do whatever business he had. Kurt took a moment to recompose himself before continuing on his way.

Really, he should have known better. He usually kept himself on higher alert in town since pushing the gay kid around was a common occurrence, but his mind was occupied as it tried to figure out how else he could make cash.

When he walked back into the saloon, Rachel was already behind the bar, wiping out glasses from the storage room. They always needed more glasses during the competitions so they kept extra in storage.

"Thank goodness you're here Kurt! I swear the spiders are attracted to these glasses… there are so many egg sacs…."

Kurt made an audible cluck of disgust. "Rachel… that's just…"

"Oh it's not like they'll notice. I'll make sure we use them on the especially annoying riff raff anyhow." She winked and tucked some glasses under the counter.

Kurt grabbed a rag and set about wiping off the tables. He wiped them down before they closed up at night, but he was militant about keeping the place clean. It wasn't easy either with all the beer and whiskey that would be spilled in the average night.

"You ladies ready for a great night?" called a voice behind him, the saloon French doors swinging with a whine on their hinges as they indicated they had been pushed open.

"And what, praytell Santana, will make this night so great?" Rachel asked as she continued working diligently on the spider egg glasses behind the counter.

Santana sat herself down on one of Kurt's freshly wiped tables and he grimaced. "Well. I have myself a brothel token for starters."

Kurt's eyebrows arched up and he stopped his scrubbing to look at Santana, one of the few women around who felt comfortable wearing riding pants instead of dresses or skirts.

"And how did you get that and what are you going to do with it?" Rachel asked, clearly not impressed. Her relationship with Santana was strained as both seemed to tolerate the other with some degree of amusement and contempt. Where Rachel was always polite when refusing advances from the drunken patrons, Santana had no problem slapping and insulting those who came onto her.

Santana winked and Kurt noted that one of her hands was in a pocket, assumedly fondling the token in question. "Not gonna say and definitely none of your business. It's just going to be a great night is all."

Kurt shook his head, "Just get to work Santana." He went back to cleaning the table tops.

Santana huffed and walked back behind the counter to start prepping for customers. "What bee bit your bottoms today?"

"If you must know, our rent was increased, again." Rachel noted non-challantly, clearly holding back some spite through her teeth. "I had just saved up enough for a new set of boots and I'm going to have to put it all towards rent and keep walking around with a hole in mine."

Santana balked, "Hey now. Don't be so fussy over it. We have a lot of guys coming in this year and you can't get mad over Karofsky wanting to make some coin off it. That's how this capitalism stuff works."

"Snuff out the impoverished so the rich can hire another servant. That's how it works." Kurt noted, secretly jealous of Rachel for having the money to pay the increase at all. A hole in his boot was the least of his worries. Kurt wondered if David had made her the same offer he had given to him, but knew he couldn't ask.

Santana threw up her arms, "What do you want me to do about it? I just manage the place for them. Not like I have any pull with any of them anyhow. They don't like us Mexicans anymore than they like the gays or the Asians or the injuns."

Rachel shrugged her shoulders, continuing her work without looking at Santana. "I don't know. It's just that despite your claims of being picked on, you seem to have a cushy position and never are left struggling to pay for what you need."

"Ladies!" Kurt piped up. He knew this was going no where fast and didn't want to have to walk on eggshells around either of them all night. "Can we please just get this place ready?"

Both the women just grumbled their acknowledgement and they all went to work in awkward silence.

Before long, businesses were closing and shifts ending. Patrons started filling up the saloon and demanding drinks and snacks. The saloon was popular for its dish of potatoes and beans, though Kurt would never understand why.

At one point, halfway through the night, Kurt could hear Rachel's voice get louder and more strained. Kurt was behind the counter, filling up glasses of beer. He took his tray with the beer and walked back, listening into the conversation that Rachel was having with a table.

"Now you certainly don't mean that." Rachel said.

"Oh come on honey. You could earn so much more next door." David Karofsky's telltale voice spoke and as he talked, laughter erupted at his table.

"Well that's nice of you to say, but that opportunity is not one I'm interested in." Rachel replied and then gasped sharply as Azimio slapped a hand to her buttocks, resulting in another round of laughter from the group.

Kurt quickly finished delivering the beer and stepped up beside Rachel, "Rachel. You're needed in the kitchen. I'll take their order."

Rachel gave Kurt a very appreciative glance and quickly scurried away. Kurt looked over the table, full of his main tormentors, and suppressed a frown and glare. "What can I get you guys tonight?"

He didn't know why he felt he needed to ask. They were all regulars unfortunately and he knew their orders by heart. He also knew that they would all be quite drunk by now, as if it wasn't already clear by the stack of empty glasses in the center of the table.

"Well unless you can get me a fine piece of that ass, I don't need nothin' from you boy." Azimio stood up and pushed his chair back in the act, stretching. "I'm gonna get goin'. Need to get my lovin' on next door before I get too tired."

The table laughed and the table took that as an invitation to excuse themselves, leaving David there with Kurt.

David grinned, "Well I know what I want." A hand was suddenly on Kurt's ass and Kurt tensed up immediately. No one had ever touched him like that. Revulsion rose within him.

"Whiskey then yes?" Kurt squeaked, trying to pull away before he had to deal with any more of this.

The hand on his ass, drew him back and squeezed where it was gripping, causing Kurt to wince. "You thought about my offer?"

"Please David… I'm at work. I have to work…." Kurt stumbled through his words, trying his best not to reach out and hit away the unwanted hand or say something he knew he'd regret.

To his credit, David pulled his hand away and chuckled, "Fine. Fine. I think though that one way or another I'm gonna get that ass." He winked at Kurt, standing up and leaving the saloon.

Kurt bit his lower lip gently, a nervous habit and gathered as many of the glasses on the table as he could to return to the back to be washed. As he moved he looked around to see if anyone had taken notice of what had just happened and saw no change in the conversations or demeanor of the patrons around. Either no one had seen, or no one had cared, and Kurt didn't know whether to be pleased or upset by that.

Never in all his life had he felt so disgusted, objectified, and worthless. He wondered how Rachel dealt with it all so casually all the time, and how the ladies of pleasure did it as a job. And did David mean it that he was going to get Kurt no matter what? Kurt didn't even know how to take that. He didn't know if he should be flattered another man found him attractive at all, or appalled that it was David of all people. His stomach clearly indicated that it felt nauseated by it all though.

What made it even worse that was Kurt was now wondering if he should even bother trying to find more funds if David was dead set on bedding him anyhow. Maybe he should just take the opportunity. Maybe ask some of the girls next door how they managed to do it day after day. No, he thought, then they might suspect something was up with him and they couldn't take that chance.

"Hey Kurt…?" Rachel had come up beside him and he hadn't even noticed.

Kurt looked over to her and forced a smile, "Yes?"

"Thanks for getting me out of there." She smiled sweetly to him, filling her tray with shots for a table.

Kurt smiled still, though with more ease now. "You're welcome."

Rachel went off to serve her table and Kurt stayed behind the bar to pour drinks for the patrons sitting at it. Santana was collecting tabs at her register. As the manager, only she was allowed to deal with the money, aside from the tips.

They finally got the last patron out well after two in the morning and then spent the next hour cleaning the place up before heading to their respective homes. Kurt could hear laughing and squealing coming from the bordello next door as much of their business had ended up there. It was something he had never gotten used to, sleeping against those noises, but if he wanted to be up early enough to mend and tailor, he had to.

Curling up under his threadbare sheet, he sighed, speaking to no one in particular, "Good-night."

And in the silence that followed, Kurt fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

After several days of inner debate and mental turmoil, Kurt was still no closer to be able to pay the rent. Quinn had gotten him some work, but not nearly enough to come close to what he needed. He had been snapping irrationally at Rachel and Santana, taking out his anger about the situation on them. Currently he was serving a "time out" in front of the saloon, after having one such blow up at them for not moving quickly enough.

He had his hands on the hitching post, leaning forward and looking into the water in the horse trough on the ground, examining his reflection. How had he fallen so far he wondered. In school he was top of the class and despite being gay, everyone seemed to assume he would go to the big city and make a name for himself, Kurt included. He had more talent in dance, song, and fashion, then the rest of the town had altogether. Yet here he was, in deep debt and settling on survival as a means to get through his life.

He cursed himself. The teachers hadn't been hard enough on him. He couldn't have been that smart or he would have figured a way out of this situation or at least figured out how to make some more money. Part of the problem, he accepted, that he wasn't morally disinclined. He wouldn't steal or cheat or dabble in anything illegal to earn money, which in Lima was rare.

He sighed and pushed himself back to lean against the wall of the saloon, watching the movement around town. It had gotten much busier in the past few days as competitors and rodeo fans had arrived. People were rushing this way and that, trying to get their business done before the stores closed. Next door Quinn's girls waved and whistled at the men, trying to advertise the business. Every so often they'd bunch together and whisper about one of the new boys in town, stealing secret glances as the target of their gossip.

And some of the competitors did look like boys, that or Kurt was just getting older too quickly for his liking. His younger self would have been furious at him. When he was younger he thought by twenty that he would be rich and famous. His younger self didn't know shit.

A nearby clip-clop of horse hooves turned his head and he looked toward the new arrival. The horse was beautiful, and exotic. It was about fifteen hands high and had the brightest and most intelligent eyes he had seen on an equine before. But what was really striking about this horse was the colouring. He had heard about appaloosas before but had never actually seen one in person as they were known for being favourites of the native americans who had been pushed south of the Ohio river valley before he was even born. The brown and white mottled coat gave it a truly distinct look and he had to stop himself from reaching out to pet the creature to ensure it was real.

"Her name is Ominitago. It means beautiful voice to the Cheyenne people." A voice spoke from atop the mare, and Kurt looked up, wincing as the sun hit his eyes and momentarily blinded him to the owner of the voice.

The rider slid off the side of the horse and pulled the reigns towards the hitching post. Kurt could now see the owner of this beautiful creature. Ominitago. He mouthed the name to himself as he looked over the rider. The man was slightly shorter than he was, with a black slouch hat on a head of dark curls. His eyes were amber, set against olive skin. He wore a long black twill duster over tan cotton trousers and a doubled breasted black vest. Kurt could see he was wearing not one, but two belts, probably indicating that he had a gun on each hip. His boots went up to the knee, but didn't have spurs like most of the ranchers wore around town. He, like his horse, had a very distinct look, and Kurt wondered if his name was equally as pleasurable to say as Ominitago.

"I call her Minnie usually. Gets me in less trouble with savage haters." The rider noted, tying up the horse and looking back to Kurt, who nodded.

"I like the name. Never seen a spotted horse before. She's very beautiful."

The rider smiled and looked Kurt up and down which made Kurt somewhat uncomfortable in his own skin. The rider finished off the tie and asked, "Saloon open yet?"

Kurt nodded and swept a hand to the entrance. "Pretty empty yet. Fills up once the shops close."

Without another word, the rider walked into the saloon and Kurt was left with the horse. He sighed and looked at Ominitago. "I hope you don't feel alone here girl. Most people here don't take kindly to those that are different." He petted the mare on the nose for a few minutes before returning to the saloon.

Once inside, Santana summoned him over to her with a wave of her hand. She pointed to the newcomer who was sitting at the end of the bar with a drink already in hand. "You get to serve him tonight. He was already snarky with me."

Kurt grimaced. If Santana wasn't willing to put up with a snarky customer it either meant they were really aggravating or she was just that irritable. Rachel was probably in the back getting the meals cooked for when the dinner rush began, so that left him. Kurt presumed it was just Santana being irritable though because the newcomer had been polite enough outside. Kurt slid behind the counter and went over to the man, who was nursing the last sip of his drink. "Can I get you a refill sir?"

The man looked up and Kurt was once again eye to eye with him, his breath hitching involuntarily as he noted the specks of gold in the amber eyes that were looking at him. A smirk covered the mans face and he winked at Kurt. "Does it come with a side of you because you look quite tasty."

Kurt found himself taken aback. Aside from the sudden change in attitude from this man, in no less than a week he had two men coming onto him and he didn't know how to handle it. He put on his best disinterested face and replied, "Our supper special is mashed potatoes and brown beans in sauce if you're hungry. Refill?"

The man chuckled to himself, clearly noting Kurt's slight reaction to the pick up line. He raised his glass, "Beer please hot stuff."

Kurt took the glass and walked down the length of the bar to where they kept the keg, looking over at Santana and trying to catch her gaze. When she noticed him he gave her a look that questioned what the man had said to her that was so offensive.

Santana came up beside Kurt as he was pouring and whispered, "Said I had too much breast and not enough cock for his liking. Thought you might enjoy someone of your own kind." She cackled and left Kurt back on his own silently cursing his coworker.

Kurt returned to the man and set the glass in front of him. "Just holler if you need a refill."

"What do I have to do to hear you holler sweetheart?" The man tipped his hat up and once again winked at Kurt who immediately scowled back.

"Look. I'm just trying to work here. I fill your drinks and get you food if you want. If you want woman's comfort go next door to the brothel."

The curly haired stranger reached out to grasp Kurt's wrist as he moved to leave, "Wait!"

Kurt looked down at his entrapped hand and then back to the man, waiting for a response.

"First of all, if I wanted a woman I would have been hitting on tits over there." He said, nodding his head toward Santana. "Secondly, my name is Blaine. You might want to remember it for when you're calling it out in bed."

Kurt's jaw dropped for the umpteenth time in as many days, and as Blaine released his wrist, Kurt found himself quickly walking away and toward Santana.

"What the hell Santana. The guy is a perverted bastard. You deal with him. I can't deal with this!"

Santana looked up and scrunched up her face as Kurt verbally lambasted her. When Kurt had finished his tirade she lifted up a hand, "Look honey. Rachel and I have to deal with it all the time, you deal with it for one evening. Don't get your bloomers in a knot."

Kurt huffed and smacked a hand down on the counter, preparing to keep up the rant, however it was clear from Santana's rigid demeanor that she wasn't going to take it and she did have a point. Rachel and Santana did take a lot of harassment from the saloon guests and managed to survive. Maybe dealing with this guy, Blaine, would help him be able to deal with David.

"Fine." Kurt left Santana who smiled coyly at his back before returning to counting cash. He went to ask for orders from the group that had just arrived when he noted that Blaine had moved from the counter and joined a poker game that also included David. Kurt felt his skin crawl, but he went over to serve the group anyhow. "The usual today?"

Much to Kurt's relief, the group just gave their orders, too immersed in their game to pay him much mind. He was able to fill their drink order and continue about his business in the saloon without much hassle for most of the rest of the evening.

That was until, however, the card game had ended and the alcohol had settled in. The men were getting rowdy and loud and despite Kurt's best efforts at gentle pleading, they weren't quieting down. David yelled that Blaine had cheated and Blaine returned fire saying that David was a pathetic player. Azimio just laughed where he sat, enjoying the drama unfolding before him, and Kyle was moaning loudly and holding his stomach, not really paying much attention at all.

"Gentlemen please... You're disrupting the other patrons here. Why don't you all go home. It's getting late after all."

The men continued, speaking over Kurt and he knew he was being far too quiet and polite to be heard. Kyle made a rush for the door and the sound of vomiting could be heard outside as soon as he got there. This caused Azimio to laugh even louder, falling backward in his chair with a loud thud. The noise got both Blaine and David's attention who promptly forgot their argument to laugh at Azimio.

Kurt groaned and rubbed a hand back over his hair. Between having to clean the vomit off the porch and fixing the chair, it would be an extra late night for him.

"Please." He raised his tone, "You've all drank your share tonight. It's time for you to go home."

Blaine sniggered and turned to face Kurt, "Hey sweetheart, if you're going to ride my ass, at least buy me a drink first."

Azimio and David were starting to laugh when a sharp slap sounded across the room and all eyes turned to Kurt whose hand had just whipped across Blaine's cheek, leaving a red mark. All of the built up tension and stress he had been dealing with had culminated in that moment and Blaine's comment had been the needle that broke the camels back. As Kurt realized what he had done, his own face whitened and his cheeks burned red.

Looking at Blaine, and seeing his own handiwork on his face, Kurt ran into the kitchen and up the stairs to his room without stopping. Blaine rubbed his now tender cheek and looked back to David and Azimio, "Sensitive one ain't he?"

They laughed and the chorus of conversation and chatter in the bar began up again. Kurt didn't return to work that night and Rachel and Santana, who had seen the event, decided to just leave it be for now. They both knew something was up with their mutual friend, who until recently, never allowed the stress to show yet he had become quick to temper and overly dramatic in the past few days.

When the saloon emptied and the girls were mopping the floor and washing off the tables, Kurt appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, watching them quietly for a moment before quietly uttering an apology for abandoning them.

Both of the girls stopped what they were doing and each gave him a hug in turn, noting that his face was tear stained and his eyes bloodshot.

"You know you can tell us anything right Kurt?" Rachel said, rubbing a hand in small circle on his back.

Kurt nodded. He knew that, but just because he could didn't mean he would. Tomorrow was rent day and he didn't have enough. "If I leave to go for a walk and clear my head would you girls be upset? I need some fresh air..."

Both of the girls immediately gave Kurt a little push towards the door indicating their support. Kurt had never taken any time off work before so both weren't worried he was taking advantage of their sympathy.

As soon as Kurt was outside he felt better. The cool air hit him and he breathed it in. Something about nighttime just smelled better, felt better. Maybe it was how much quieter it was and how calm things were, the bordello excluded. He went for a stroll along the empty streets, hands tucked into his pockets.

As he reached the outskirts of the town, he saw the Appaloosa again, tied to a tree with a fire burning nearby. Blaine was sitting in front of the fire, still not asleep and watching the flames flicker in front of him. It was unusual for a competitor to camp and Kurt thought that perhaps Blaine didn't have a lot of money and was maybe in the competition to support himself, or maybe he was just a fan who was willing to camp out to see the competitors in action.

"Come to apologize for the mark you left on me sweet thing?" Blaine piped up and Kurt realized he had been spotted. He automatically hissed his response.

"You should be apologizing to me for being so crude!"

"I wouldn't have to make up names for you, however appropriate they are, if you would just tell me your name."

Kurt huffed, "They are not appropriate. They are crass and vulgar and completely inappropriate. Plus if you said any of that stuff around a sober crowd you'd be strung up."

Kurt saw Blaine shrug his shoulders and then set down the stick. "They could try I suppose. I'm been run out of towns for less, and for more. And you must have something wrong in your head if you think being called sweet and hot are so insulting."

Kurt wasn't about to admit that he had many things wrong in his head as of late, but the simple way Blaine was speaking made Kurt suspect that he was being honest in his assessment of Kurt, at least in what he thought about Kurt. It would have almost been flattering if Kurt wasn't so wracked with nerves. His guard fell a little bit and he took a couple steps closer to the small camp Blaine had set up.

"I'm Kurt."

A chuckle was Blaine's response and the curly haired man lifted a harmonica to his mouth and began playing a tune that Kurt didn't recognize. Kurt found himself drawn to the music and instead of leaving, stayed in place to listen to the entire song, which in his opinion sounded quite melancholy. Once the song was over, Blaine put the harmonica back on his lap and grabbed a stick to stoke the fire.

"Where are you from?" Asked Kurt.

"Where am I from, or who was I born from?" Blaine responded with a question of his own, not turning to look at Kurt as he spoke.

"Either I guess. You've given your horse a native name, your skin is darker than most around here. You're just different."

"My mother was Cheyenne. Grew up mostly with my father in the south east until the colour of my skin and my attraction to boys made me a liability for his venture into politics."

Kurt nodded to himself as he absorbed the information. It made sense. He wasn't quite white, and he wasn't full savage. He could travel both worlds. "And you're here to watch the competitions, or compete?"

"Compete. Was in Westerville when I heard about the competition and was bored so I decided to test my skill against the locals."

Kurt's brow furrowed up in confusion, "That's it? Not for the money or to get first pick at ranch hiring?"

Blaine snickered and shook his head. "I have money. I wander as I please, when I please."

Kurt nodded and watched the man under the moonlight quietly for the moment, wondering what it would be like to live with such freedom.

Blaine looked up then and Kurt could make out the amber eyes from below the brim of his hat, glinting in the firelight. "Well... Kurt. I guess now I know what I'll be crying out when you're making me orgasm then."

Any bit of Kurt that had been warming up to Blaine in the past few moments rapidly left and Kurt once again found himself fuming. If Blaine had been closer, he likely would have slapped him again. Instead Kurt just turned on his heels and stormed off, back towards the saloon, leaving Blaine behind him without another word.

How did that man go from being so interesting one minute to completely disgusting the next. Kurt wasn't inclined to the racism that others in the town held, but he wondered in that instant if there wasn't some truth to the rumours about savages.

When Kurt got back to the saloon, the lanterns at been snuffed and Santana and Rachel had left. They had done a good job cleaning and he couldn't even smell Kyle's vomit from earlier. He quietly went through the kitchen, ignoring his growling stomach, and tiptoed up the stairs to where his room was, alone at the top of the stairs. He pulled his door open, cringing at the creak of the hinges and entered, closing it behind him.

"You shouldn't keep me waiting."

Kurt jumped in place and backed himself against the wall of his room, his eyes adjusting to the dark. As his eyes adjusted, he saw David sitting back on his bed, and Kurt could smell the alcohol on his breath from the few feet away he was.

"David! I... What are you doing here?"

The bigger man leaned back in Kurt's bed and kept his gaze steadily upon Kurt, who remained up against the wall as if he were about to be attacked.

"You have the rent?"

Kurt began panicking and rushed to his drawer where he stashed his cash, grabbing all the money he had and holding it out to David. "I can get the rest. Just give me more time. Rent isn't usually collected until tomorrow."

David grabbed what Kurt had and slowly began counting, "It IS tomorrow." he spoke as he counted in slow, deliberate motions, "You know, I would hate to have to go to your dads ranch and have to ask for the rest because you can't get your act together."

Kurt's went pale and he looked at David blankly. His dad didn't know the extent of Kurt's debt to the Karofsky's, and his dad certainly wouldn't be able to pull together the money he owed.

"I mean, what kind of son would put their father in that position, especially since he's still in recovery. Wouldn't want to have to put any undue strain on him..."

Kurt realized how futile his situation was in that moment. He slowly walked toward the bed, his movements stiff and mechanical.

"What do you want from me?"

David smirked and unbuttoned his pants, Kurt turning his head away as it happened, mentally chanting that this couldn't be happening and trying to tuck away whatever part of him still had hopes and dreams so it wouldn't see what he was about to do.

"I want you to show me how much you need a bit of rent relief." David said, shimmying down his pants and his briefs along with them, leaving his manhood erect and waiting for attention.

And because Kurt had no other choice, he knelt between David's legs and took his erection in his mouth, pinching his eyes shut and making the motions as quickly as he could to get it over with. He distracted his mind with thoughts of what he needed to tailor tomorrow and what designs he should sketch out for Quinn.

David's hands went to the back of Kurt's head and forced him further and harder, the man moaning noisily above him. Kurt withheld a gag, not wanting to do anything to upset David and make this torture last any longer than it needed to. He hated this. It was disgusting and completely unromantic. How anyone could want this was beyond him, and how anyone could want to do it was unfathomable.

Finally, and thankfully, David came with a low drawn out groan and forced Kurt's head down on his cock as he did. Kurt choked a little and involuntarily tried to pull his head back despite the hands holding him down. When David was spent, he lifted his hands off Kurt's head who immediately pulled back and coughed, trying to regain his lost breath.

David unceremoniously pulled his briefs and pants back up, rebuttoning them and stood up to leave. "Not a word now princess, or it'll be your dad who has to hear about how you pay your rent." A laugh followed and David tossed a few of the coins Kurt had given him down on the floor in front of Kurt. "Almost forgot to pay the whore."

He continued laughing as he left and Kurt could hear his chuckling all the way out of the building. As soon as he couldn't hear him anymore, Kurt grabbed his water basin and began scrubbing his face and teeth with merciless ferocity. He had to get the smell off him, and the taste out of his mouth. He had to make himself clean of this.

He kept scrubbing until his gums bled and his face was red, sobbing into the cloth he was using the whole time. He knew this was just the beginning. David wouldn't just leave him alone now that he willfully gave up his intimacy with a simple threat.

Kurt slowly picked up the coins that had been thrown to him and tucked them into his pillowcase to keep them close. His hands and face felt absolutely dried out from all the water he had used on them and he still didn't feel any cleaner.

Kurt stayed up for what remained of the night, sitting on his bed and watching the sun come up through his window. He remembered watching sunrises with his mother when he was a child, so full of innocence and naivety. Never so much did he long for those days as he did this night.

Finally, at some point during dawn, he realized he couldn't let this act become who he was. He knew he wasn't a whore. He knew he wasn't nothing. He could be, and was a lot stronger than he gave himself credit for. Maybe David would make him do... that... again, and maybe not, but he wouldn't allow David to crush his spirit or break him in doing so. He wouldn't let this haunt him, making him weak and timid. That wasn't Kurt Hummel. That wasn't Elizabeth Hummel's son. He was better than that. He was going to make it through this.


	3. Chapter 3

Over the next two days, Kurt made a point of keeping his head held high. He was constantly telling himself that he had nothing to be ashamed of and that the only one who could get him down was himself. He would not give David permission to make him feel like less than he was.

To that end he had been tirelessly pleasant with Rachel and Santana, to the point of them asking him if he had been smoking the peace pipe. Kurt exposed himself as being innocent of that when he had asked what they meant and they both laughed off his naïveté.

The games had begun, but they were largely focused on ranch skills in the beginning. He had heard from Rachel that Finn had won the cattle branding competition which she had taken the previous day off to go and see. Apparently it had been quite the event as Rachel had brought Finns clothing back for mending, full of tears, holes, scuffs, and drops of blood which Rachel had to assure Kurt did not belong to Finn. Rachel had gone on to tell Kurt that the second and third place competitors had gotten into a fight after the event, each accusing the other of making eyes at a woman they had claimed as their own. Rachel found it romantic, Kurt thought it was utterly stupid.

On the positive side, many of the competitors had brough their mending to Kurt and he was kept quite busy during the day doing the tailoring. Being busy meant he didn't have a lot of time to think, which was good because Kurt had the toughest time when left alone with his thoughts.

The day of the branding event, Kurt had gone to the general store to get a bolt of fabric to make patches out of. On the way he had seen Blaine and Mike in conversation outside of the doctor office. They were both smiling and laughing which seemed quite foreign on both of their faces, at least in Kurt's experience with them. He thought it must be nice for Mike to have someone talking to him and Kurt made a mental note to try and strike up conversation with the lanky Asian man the next time he saw him. If Blaine could make the effort, Kurt certainly could as well.

Blaine had been in the saloon each night, continuing to hit on Kurt all the while. Kurt responded to Blaine with silence accompanied by a smirk each time. He wasn't going to let Blaine get the better of his emotions again. Kurt had decided that if someone actually found him attractive, he should be allowed to enjoy it a little bit, even if he couldn't flirt back. Somehow Blaine got away with his advances but Kurt knew he wouldn't be that lucky. He wasn't about to risk getting hung for his homosexuality even if Blaine was.

Blaine didn't speak much with the other patrons unless he was playing cards. Blaine had quickly garnered a reputation as a master poker player and he was frequently invited to tables to play in the hopes that others could best him and win a good bit of coin. However, much to the dismay of his challengers, Blaine continued to win. Depending on how late it was into the evening, and how drunk his challengers were, Blaine would get involved in fights with the angry losers accusing him of cheating and having cards up his sleeve.

Blaine could hold his own in a fight, and Kurt had to take a couple of Blaine's victims to Mike to be stitched up. This had allowed Kurt to get to know Mike a little better, discovered that his family was in Boston and he and Tina had met in secondary school. Even though Tina had served as Mike's nurse, her real passion was for art and theatre, however there wasn't a lot of jobs in the east right now so they had come west to be able to afford a home with the hopes of starting a family soon.

Every time Kurt had gotten back to the saloon, Blaine would be sitting, looking no worse for wear, and nursing a drink solemnly. When Blaine would see that Kurt had returned, his melancholy would evaporate and a smile would light up his lips. Kurt would watch as Blaine would finish his drink quickly just so he could call Kurt over to get it refilled and test out a new line. It was almost endearing.

Meanwhile Kurt hadn't had any more late night visits from David, though the gossip in town was that he and his men had roughed up a woman who was claiming that David's dad had and affair with her, impregnanted her, and abandoned her when he found out. The only part of the gossip that was truly outrageous was that the woman would have made any fuss about it. It was common knowledge that Karofsky men slept around and dumped the women once they got bored of them, and it was also common knowledge that you didn't mess with them either. For this woman to have said anything was asking for trouble.

Kurt had left David to be served by Rachel or Santana when he had come in for drinks with his men. As much as he was trying to convince himself that what David had done didn't matter, Kurt didn't want to put himself into a bad situation either. Kurt did his best to ignore his tormentor, and act as if nothing had happened, but every now and then he could feel David's eyes grazing over him which caused him to shudder.

This evening however, Rachel was going to be late as she was watching Finn compete in the cattle herding competition and Santana was already occupied when David and his posse came in the door. Kurt spent a moment hoping that Rachel would arrive back early or Santana would just leave what she was doing before realizing that he had to step up and take their orders.

"Well, well, well. If it ain't the little sodomite." Azimio was the first to see Kurt come to the table. "And here I thought you weren't attracted to us anymore."

"Orders gentlemen?" Kurt spoke plainly, ignoring the slight, hoping that he could get through this quickly.

"He speaks so uppity hey? Like he's better than us." Kyle snickered and Kurt's heart sank a little as he realized he wouldn't be able to get their drink requests without some slurs being thrown his way first.

"Well I'd suggest we smack him around a bit, but I bet a cocksucker like him would like that." David's lips turned into a wicked grin and Kurt saw a heinous look flash through his eyes. Suddenly all of Kurt's self talk about being better than what he allowed for was gone, and he trembled in place.

"Aw look'it him. Dave you got him all excited now." Kyle said as he saw how Kurt quivered and paled, eyes locked on David. The group laughed heartily for a moment before being interrupted by another voice.

"You all should probably leave him alone now. I need another drink and you're taking up all his time." Blaine had come up to the table standing to the side and slightly in front of Kurt as he spoke holding an empty glass back to Kurt which Kurt took with a shaky hand.

David snarled, "You should mind your own fucking business half blood."

Kurt could see Blaine's mouth twitch into a grin and the shorter man lifted up his hands, palms out, "Can't fault me for wanting another drink. You know what they say, whiskey and beer warm the blood better than any woman and also won't talk your ears off."

The table laughed at the statement and within a moment, Kurt was taking orders and pulling over a chair for Blaine to join them. It took awhile, but Kurt managed to regain control over himself and stop the involuntary tremors. He chastised himself, realizing that he had shown David just how much he had gotten to Kurt.

The table was involved in long and drawn out card game for the rest of the night and they were the last patrons left in the saloon at closing. Azimio had fallen asleep in his chair, having lost all his coin for the night awhile ago and Kyle had folded this round, looking back and forth between David and Blaine as they increased their wagers. Kurt was watching behind the bar, secretly rooting for Blaine, who always left Kurt a good tip.

"Call." David spoke, putting the rest of his coin into the impressive pile at the centre of the table.

They exposed their cards and before Kurt could see what was shown, David was swearing up a storm, slamming his fists onto the table and waking up Azimio with a start.

"Goddamn fucking savage cheat!" David stood and bellowed at Blaine who calming drew the coin to him and began counting it out, ignoring the angry gorilla in front of him.

"I didn't see him pull any cards David..." Kyle spoke quietly from where he sat.

"I don't fucking care. No one is that lucky. He fucking cheated and I'm gonna teach him a goddamn lesson!" David yelled, pulling back his fist as he prepared to lay a punch on Blaine.

Without realising it, Kurt called out Blaine's name, warning him of the impending hit. Blaine moved his upper body to the side just as David launched his fist forward, causing David to hit the back of Blaine's chair. He screamed and recoiled his hand, eyes looking toward Kurt with murderous intent.

Kyle and Azimio were on their feet at this point, each with an arm on each of David's shoulders, gently pushing him back.

"Come on man. Not worth it. Let's go."

David grumbled agreement and let himself be led out by his two sidekicks, leaving Blaine at the table, counting and putting away coin into a purse as if nothing had happened.

Kurt expelled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and went to the table to start collecting the empty glasses to bring back to the kitchen where Rachel and Santana were doing dishes. When he returned, Blaine was up and leaning against the counter.

"You already paid your tab Blaine. You don't owe anything. Have a nice night." Kurt noted, coming up to Blaine. He often reminded inebriated patrons they had already paid, even though Santana said it was better for business if they forgot and repaid.

"Oh I know. Just wanted to see what a night with you would cost is all." Blaine smiled wryly and winked to Kurt.

In a flash, Kurt was back in his room, coins being tossed down at him by David who was calling him a whore. Kurt's hand flew up and slapped across Blaine's cheek, the impact stinging his hand and making Blaine's head snap to the side slightly.

Kurt stood there a moment, transfixed by the angry red welt he had left on Blaine's cheek, and the shock that he had acted, again, in a fit of momentary rage. As he stepped back and lowered his hand, Blaine's head turned back to look at Kurt, no longer smiling.

"Well goodnight then I guess."

Blaine left, not saying anything else. Kurt found himself surprised, given how much he had seen Blaine fight back before when he had been attacked. Kurt had expected to end up at Mikes with stitches. Instead, he was left alone in the saloon, looking at his palm which was red and tingled.

Kurt eventually returned to cleaning up, and paused in that when he found that Blaine had left him a sizable pile of coins at the table. His eyes welled up with tears as he counted them out. How could someone be so crude but so kind all at once. He knew he would have to apologize. He had acted rashly and for comments that wouldn't have otherwise fazed him if it hadn't been for David.

He yelled into the kitchen that Blaine had left something behind and he was going to return it and rushed out the door, walking quickly towards Blaine's campsite.

Kurt looked up at the crescent moon as he walked briskly through town, and because he wasn't watching where he was going, he tripped over a rock by the general store, falling to his knees and cursing under his breath as pain shot up and down his legs.

"So my little whore is on his knees again. How fitting." Slurred David's voice, and Kurt's head shot up, seeing David walking toward him, bottle in hand. Did anyone in this town ever stop drinking?

Kurt moved to get up but David lurched forward and hit him across the head with his bottle, causing Kurt with let out a sharp yelp of pain and fall to his side.

"You little ass fucker warned that cheating injun that I was goin' to hit him!"

Kurt let out a small whimper and put his fingers to his head, hissing as he found a cut along his hairline with them. "Please David..."

David grabbed Kurt by the hair and pulled him towards the alley between the general store and the smith shop. Kurt cried out in pain, trying to pry David's hand out of his hair with his own hands and awkwardly trying to get to his feet at the same time.

"Yah you're going to beg all right..." David mumbled, his words slurred. He shoved Kurt to the ground again as he reached the secluded space between the buildings and unbuttons his pants, letting them drop to the ground.

"You make me come now or I'm going to make your ass bleed to match your head."

Kurt whined softly, spitting out the dirt he had gotten into his mouth as he hit the ground. He was incredibly dizzy and wondered how much he was bleeding, but he forced himself to sit up on his sore knees, pulling down David's briefs and freeing his erection.

The memory of the last time Kurt had seen David's manhood made him gag a little, but he once again dragged his lips back and forth over the erection while David moaned above him. Kurt felt David's hands in his hair and he winced as David rubbed a finger into the gash on his hairline.

"Oh god you little whore. Keep going."

Between the pain and the humility, Kurt silently cried as he kept up the pace, David pushing Kurt's head onto the sweaty, hairy based of his cock as he came. Kurt gagged, but couldn't move as his throat was hit with the draining of semen. As David went flaccid, Kurt was allowed the breath again, being pulled off and thrown back to the ground.

"Fucking slut..." David slurred, redressing himself and then taking a sip out of his bottle.

Kurt coughed into the dirt, and he tried to push himself up to standing, instead slumping further into the ground. As his vision became spotty and dark, he watched as David walked off into the night, leaving him there, alone, beaten, and used.

* * *

When Kurt awoke, he wasn't in the dirt and it wasn't night time. He was wrapped up in a blanket and inside a small Canvas tent. His head felt foggy and his head was screaming with pain. Kurt moaned and reached up to feel where he had gotten his cut and Tom his surprise, found his head was bandaged.

Kurt tried to sit up but when he did discovered that caused him overwhelming dizziness and laid immediately back down.

The door flap to the tent opened then and to Kurt's astonishment, Blaine was the one who entered. The man wasn't wearing the duster Kurt had always seen him in, and was carrying a small bowl and spoon in one hand. Blaine sat down beside Kurt once he was inside.

"What...?" Kurt started to ask and then hissed in pain as the attempt to speak make some nerve in him scream out in protest.

Blaine looked over Kurt, checking out his bandage on his head, and then, to Kurt's embarrassment, lifting up the blanket to check on bandages on Kurt's knees that he didn't realize were there. Kurt was suddenly very aware that he was stripped down to his own briefs and undershirt and his face went red.

"You'll be fine." Blaine said nonchalantly, recovering Kurt with the blanket. Kurt had a hundred questions forming in his head that he couldn't asked without risking making himself hurt, so instead he looked at Blaine with his best questioning eyes.

Blaine dipped the spoon into the bowl and then put it to Kurt's mouth. "First you need to drink. Then I will talk."

Kurt inwardly fumed about being ordered to do anything, but slowly opened his mouth, just a little, to slow the spoon in. It tasted like the spiciest chicken broth he could ever conceive of and his scrunched up nose and slight gagging sound made Blaine chuckle.

"Old medicine woman's pain relief soup is painful to take but worth it."

So Kurt was having his first taste of native food then. He made a mental note not to go to any restaurant in the future that specialized in native food if this was any indication of how it tasted. Despite that, he continued to begrudgingly drink down the soup as Blaine spoon fed him, hoping that it would actually give him some relief from the pain roaring through his head.

Once the soup was done and Kurt's taste buds had been sufficiently killed off, Blaine set down the bowl and spoon and looked to Kurt with sad eyes. "Why would anyone do this to you..."

Kurt glanced down, avoiding the eye contact out of shame.

"Is it because you're like me...?" Blaine asked.

He means gay, Kurt thought to himself. Blaine certainly wouldn't assume Kurt had native blood given how pale he was, so it had to be that.

Kurt gave Blaine a nod, because even though it wasn't entirely accurate, it was the closest thing to a reason he could give.

Blaine just sighed and pulled off his hat, revealing that all his dark ringlets of hair. As he set it down to the ground, he reached up to comb his fingers through his hair. Kurt watched him, realizing for perhaps the first time just how striking this man was.

"You're braver than I am. You stay in one place and face the danger, I... don't." Blaine finally spoke, not looking back at Kurt as he did.

Kurt tilted his head slightly. Blaine fought off numberous attackers since he had arrived in Lima, with no trouble, how could he think he wasn't brave?

"I found you this morning. I took you to my camp to patch you up. I would have taken you to Mike but I trust my own remedies more. You need to rest. I told Santana and you won't work tonight..."

Kurt opened his mouth then, fighting against the pain of it to speak in protest, but Blaine's finger pushed against his lips to shush him. "That soup should make you sleep. Just rest."

Kurt whined against the finger on his lips, but his eyes did feel heavy and before he knew it, he was out again.

* * *

The next time he woke up, Kurt's head wasn't throbbing and all he could feel in it was a dull ache of reminder that it had been so sore.

He could push himself up to sit, alone in the little tent again. It was night and he was missing his shift. He had to get up and get there so he wouldn't lose any wages. Missing a night of working was like accepting that he wasn't going to eat for a month.

He grunted and groaned, trying to make himself move less stiffly as he looked around for his clothing, not finding them anywhere inside the tent. That figured. He wrapped the blanket around himself and crawled out.

Blaine was sitting beside the fire, holding a pot over it to cook something within. He tsked as he saw Kurt and scolded, "Get back in there and sleep. Your body needs rest to heal."

Kurt grumbled and started looking around for his clothing, ignoring the demand.

Blaine set the pot down on the ground and walked over to Kurt, putting his hands on his shoulders, "You need to rest."

Kurt pulled away from the touch and winced at the pain caused by his sharp movement, "I need to work. I can't afford not to. Not all of us have money to gamble."

Blaine frowned and reached into one of the pouches on one of his belts, pulling out some coin, "How much do you earn in a night?"

"I am not buyable!" Kurt snapped and started looking again for his clothing. "Where did you put my damn clothing..."

Blaine's frowned, tucking the coins back into his pouch and looking hurt. "They were bloodied so I asked Santana to bring you a fresh set from your room once her work was done..."

Kurt looked back at Blaine, "So I'm stuck here?!"

Blaine sighed and went to his Appaloosa, who was laying beside the tree she was tied to. He pulled a bag off the saddle sitting beside her and started digging through it, pulling out a pair of suede trousers and lined dress shirt which he tossed toward Kurt. "Here. Go then."

Kurt blinked and reached down to collect the clothing on the ground, going back into the tent to dress. The clothing was a little short on him, but Blaine was also built more broadly so it all evened out.

Kurt waited a moment before going back out. He had ended up here after all, meaning to see Blaine last night to apologize for slapping him, the having Blaine find and take care of him after his ordeal. Blaine hadn't taken advantage of him while he was hurt, and Kurt was trying to rush out on him despite his kindnesses.

When he did come out, Kurt walked to where Blaine was sittin by the fire and quietly sat down beside him. "I'm sorry. I was coming here last night to say I was sorry when I was attacked..."

Blaine looked over at Kurt but didn't say anything, just watched him, admiring his pale beauty in the glow of the moonlight with the firelight dancing off his eyes.

Kurt didn't notice Blaine watching him, finding it easier to speak freely if he didn't make eye contact with him. "And you took care of me and I was rude. I'm sorry again."

After that, there was quiet between them for a minute. Kurt not knowing what else to say and staring into the fire, and Blaine just enjoying looking at him and listening to his voice.

After the silence stretched out for awhile, Blaine pulled his harmonica from his vest breast pocket and began playing the same tune he had played the other night Kurt had come out to his camp.

Kurt listened and felt himself soften and relax. He was still tired, more than he cared to admit, and the music was incredibly soothing. If he hadn't been sitting up, he probably could have fell asleep within moments.

He must have zoned out though, because before he knew it the music was done and Blaine was standing behind him, draping the blanket over his shoulders. "No... I need to work..." Kurt protested softly.

"You can hate me for it, but I will pay you to rest and heal. Double what you normally make. If money is truly such a problem for you, then you would be a fool to refuse me."

Kurt looked back to Blaine, jaw dropped in stunned silence. He would be a fool to refuse that, and all he had to do was sleep and rest? Kurt nodded, though his face must have still looked unsure because Blaine felt the need to clarify.

"Just resting and healing. I know I joked about other things before but that's not what I'd pay you for."

Kurt allowed Blaine then to lead him back into the tent and help him back into a laying position, during which time Blaine told him that he would tell Santana and make sure his job was safe in the meantime.

"Thank you." Kurt uttered, resting his head on the pillow and looking up at Blaine through half lidded eyes.

Blaine smiled softly back and pulled out his harmonica again, allowing Kurt to fall asleep to the strange, sad song.

* * *

Throughout the night, Kurt woke several times. The first was hearing Santana and Blaine talking outside.

"You know when you're not in the saloon my profits seem to drop half blood." Santana's voice spoke.

"You'll make due." was Blaine's simple response.

"How is he? Can I see him?"

"He is sleeping. His knees were bruised and cut up, he had bruises and cuts on his head in several places, and a large gash by his temple I stitched up. It is minor overall, but only if he lets himself heal before moving too much. Damage around the head can cause many problems if not allowed to heal up before returning to normal life."

"So you're a hustler AND a doctor. Impressive."

"I learn the skills I need to know to survive."

"Anyhow half blood, here's some clothes for him. Rachel and I will take care of the saloon if you take care of him. Boy never takes time off anyhow, so I'll count this as his vacation."

"Do you know who attacked him?"

Santana let out a bit of a snort, "I can make guesses, but I haven't heard anyone bragging about it so I can't know for sure."

"You will tell me if you do find out." Kurt could hear Blaine's voice grow cold as he said it.

"Even if I did, what are you going to do? You'll just make it worse for him if you retaliate. He's tolerated in this town as it is. You get to leave, he doesn't. He'd have to live with whatever repercussions there would be for anything you'd do."

Blaine murmured a response that Kurt couldn't make out and then there were footsteps and silence. After a little while, Kurt had fallen asleep again.

The next time he woke up, was because of snoring. He looked to his side and saw Blaine laying by the door, uncovered, with a gun in his hand, and sleeping. Every now and then Blaine would let out a little snore followed by a murmur. Kurt watched him for awhile sleeping like that before crawling over and draping the blanket over him. He then laid back down where he had been and fell asleep again.

Waking again he discovered the blanket had made its way back onto him and he could tell through the canvas that it was morning. He heard the telltale sounds of the morning hustle and bustle outside - a medley of different voices, horse sounds, and shop door bells all at once. He grumbled and pulled the blanket up over his head to try and drown out some of the sound but stopped when Blaine lifted the flap and came in again, carrying a plate and mug.

"Good, you're awake. Breakfast." A plate was held out to Kurt and he sat up, taking it and surveying the mix of potato hash and bacon. His stomach growled demandingly and he took the fork sitting on the plate and eagerly scooped up the food to eat.

Blaine sat beside him and placed the mug beside Kurt, in which Kurt could smell the deliciously strong aroma of coffee. Within ten minutes, Kurt had finished off the meal and the coffee and had a hand on his stomach appreciatively.

Blaine took away the plates and when he came back he was carrying a satchel. "Need to check your bandages." he explained and settled beside Kurt again, taking bandages and several little jars out from the bag.

"Alright." Kurt leaned toward Blaine, offering his head up for inspection. In truth Kurt felt better than he had in a long time. He hadn't slept so long, or so deeply for a long time, and wounds or not, that made a lot of difference.

Blaine gently unwound the bandage and set it to the side on the ground. Kurt could see that he had bled into it from the large, dark ruddy stain on it. He wondered how it looked and if it would end up leaving a large scar.

"Good. Very good. I'll clean it up and rebandage it, but you shouldn't need anything more once that bandage is done with." Blaine said as he examined it. He picked up on of the jars and unscrewed the lid. Kurt could smell something bitter, and when Blaine dipped a finger into the jar and then swiped some of the yellowish ointment to Kurt's head, Kurt pulled his head back and howled in protest, his gash stinging and burning all of a sudden.

Blaine shook his head and smirked slyly to himself, "It helps clean and heal the wound." He cleaned his finger off in the unbloodied part of the old bandage and went to cut a new length of bandage while Kurt grumbled.

"Shouldn't leave a scar..." Blaine said, winding the new bandage around Kurt's head and delicately wrapping it together so it would stay on.

"Thank goodness..." Kurt stated.

Blaine chuckled, "For someone who doesn't like being flirted with, you sure are vain."

Kurt balked, "No! I mean..." His face went beet red.

Blaine shook his head dismissively and nodded towards the blanket, "Let me see your knees."

Kurt obliged, secretly chastising himself for being so concerned about his looks when he should just be happy he was alive. Blaine pulled off the bandages and Kurt could see that his knees had scabbed over with large angry bruises surrounding them.

"They should be okay now without bandages. I wanted to make sure they didn't get infected. The knees of your pants were torn up when I found you and dirt and small rocks were lodged in the meat of your knees."

Kurt grimaced, knowing that had come from being on his knees in front of David. Blaine saw Kurt's face pale and he tucked a finger under Kurt's chin, tipping it up to force him to look eye to eye with Blaine.

"Hey, it's alright. No infection. It'll heal up fine."

Kurt nodded, a blush forming in his cheeks. "Thank you for all this."

Blaine shrugged it off and repacked his medical equipment quietly, finally responding after a moment. "I had to take care of myself when I was attacked for who I was. I feel better knowing that you don't have to."

Blaine left right after saying that and Kurt stared blankly after him and then at the door where he exited. Kurt's heart melted as he realized that Blaine was rude to keep people at a distance, and antisocial for the same reason. Blaine was just avoiding being hurt the best ways he knew how. Like Kurt, he was surviving.


	4. Chapter 4

The next day Kurt was allowed by Blaine to return home and to work. He had only missed two days of work, but he felt like he was coming off of a long relaxing vacation. He felt more awake and alert than he could ever remember feeling.

Aside from needing to return to work and get back to his life, he was actually sad to be leaving. Being able to sleep leisurely, eat his fill, and feel safe away from where Karofsky would look for him had been a joy. Blaine had stayed with him the entire time, either in the tent or outside of it. Kurt had apologized to him for taking up his time and Blaine had rebuffed the apology, saying he would have wasted the time on going to the saloon to flirt with him anyhow and this just saved him the trouble of walking there.

Blaine hadn't talked much despite being close to Kurt the entire time. After he had admitted being a victim of attacks himself, he had shut himself off and didn't open up anymore to Kurt. Blaine would check Kurt's healing, bring him food and drink, and make sure he was comfortable. Before leaving, Blaine had also given Kurt a small bag of herbs and directed him how to make a tea that would help with any residual pain he might have.

When he had left, Kurt had refused Blaine's money. There was no way Kurt could have taken the money after having been taken care of so well. It wouldn't sit well with him and Santana said she would count the time off as vacation anyhow, which meant he should still get paid. Yet when he got back to his room, he found an envelope with double his wages for the past two days and then some laying on his bed.

"He told me to leave it for you." Santana's voice came from behind him as Kurt looked sadly down at the money. He turned to look at her as she continued to speak.

"I'm glad you're alright. No more going out alone." She dictated.

Kurt smiled softly, "Yes ma'am..."

He noted she looked rather withdrawn and distant and frowned then, "Are you alright Santana? I'm sorry if my being gone left you guys overworked..."

"Oh no white boy. Not you. Just don't worry about it." She waved him off and walked down the stairs, leaving him alone in his room again.

Kurt took the money and tucked it into his pillowcase with the rest of his savings. He wasn't sure if he should return it or put it towards paying off his loan debt. It would make a nice dent in the loan after all.

He spent that day trying to catch up on his mending work. The pile had grown exponentially while he was gone - customers used to leaving the mending at the back door of the saloon for him to fix. By the time it was time to start work at the saloon, his fingers were numb and sore from stitching.

"Kurt! I'm so glad you're back and alright!" Rachel squealed and went to embrace him with a little too much force as he entered the saloon.

"Air. Rachel. Air." He reminded her as she squeezed him tightly and she released him after a moment.

"Sorry sweetie. I was just so worried and Santana told me but said you needed to rest so she wouldn't let me know where you were, and Finn was all worried, and - "

"Finn knows?" Kurt interrupted, suddenly feeling worried. He didn't want wind of this getting back to his dad and his dad worrying.

Rachel nodded, "Oh yes... but I just told him this afternoon. He's in town for some of the competitions happening starting tomorrow. He'll be here tonight. You can see him."

Kurt nodded slowly. Finn likely hadn't sent any courier messages to his dad then and Kurt could convince Finn to just keep it to himself for the sake of his dad's health. Kurt didn't want his dad to stress out over him. He was an adult now and needed to take care of his own problems.

"Alright. Love fest over. Lets get ready." Santana called from across the room and the three of them busied themselves for the next half hour cleaning tables and prepping food. Rachel fussed some more over him and inspected the stitches on his head, letting him know that it looked like it was healing up well.

Once again the saloon filled up after the events had finished for the day and the stores closed. There was a big retelling of how one patron, Sam, had won a bull wrestling competition, and how Finn and Sam had tied in the lassoing event. Both Finn and Sam were present and reenacted their moves from earlier in the day to a captive crowd.

Once the focus had been taken off Finn for awhile, he came to speak to Kurt who was working behind the bar.

"Hey man. Rachel told me what happened. Are you alright?" Finn slid up onto a stool in front of where Kurt was filling up drinks for Rachel to serve.

Kurt forced his very best smile as he turned to look at his brother, "Oh I'm fine. Nothing really happened. She probably overdramatisized it."

Finn looks Kurt up and down, trying to assess the legitimacy of the claim. Kurt had brushed his hair so the stitches on his head couldn't be seen and had a neckerchief tied around his neck where there had been some visible bruising.

"I guess you look alright... Maybe a little bit skinny. Mom and dad wanted to come out but couldn't leave the ranch right now. They want to know when you're coming home to visit."

Kurt hesitated as he thought about that. It wasn't that he didn't want to visit, in fact he desperately wanted to spend more time with his dad, however he needed to work as much as he could in order to make ends meet and get the loan paid off so he could start saving for New York.

"I can't really say right now Finn. It's definitely too busy right now with the competitions, congratulations by the way, and afterwards there should be lots of accumulated tailoring I'll need to do."

Finn nodded slowly and looked to each side before leaning forward on the bar and whispering toward Kurt with an eager smile. "I ordered a ring today with the prize earnings."

"Finn!" Kurt cried out and then hushed himself to not arouse any attention, especially from Rachel, "That's so wonderful. I'm so happy for you!" He beamed at Finn, various conflicted thoughts and emotions going through his mind from the jealously he had over them being able to express their love so openly to delight in knowing that his family would be growing.

Finn and Kurt talked excitedly for a few more minutes about how to propose when Kurt saw Blaine enter out of the corner of his eye and sit at the far end of the bar. "Excuse me Finn. Have to serve a customer."

Kurt brought Blaine a full glass of whiskey and set it down in front of him. "On the house."

Blaine's gaze rose from where it had been set on the bar and his eyes connected with Kurt's. "Won't you get in trouble for this?"

Kurt smiled softly back to Blaine, "Somehow I think if you're around I'll be fine." Thewordscamewithout Kurt having thought about them and immediately after he spoke he wondered about the implications of what he had meant.

Blaine too seemed to think a moment on the words and then replied, "So this is the drink I get for letting you ride me." A wink followed the statement which just made Kurt chuckle and shake his head. The more deviant side to Blaine had returned.

A woman's scream followed by an abrupt yell he recognized as Finn took both their attention away from one another. In the centre of the saloon, Finn was toe to toe with Sebastian, who was flanked by several of his own men. Rachel was being held by one of Sebastian's men, Hunter, who had her up over his shoulder, legs off the ground and in the air with her head facing back. She was flailing and screaming as she tried to escape and Kurt instinctively began running out from behind the bar to try and help her.

Finn and Sebastian were shouting at one another and Sebastian kept blocking Finns path as the taller boy tried to get to Rachel as well. The bar was a contrast of stunned silent observers and yelling voices coming from the group in the middle,

_"Let her go!"_

_"Back off giant!"_

_"I said let her go!"_

_"Finn! Help!"_

_"Rachel!"_

_"She's going next door!"_

_"__We've had enough tease. Time to please!"_

_"Like hell!"_

The last words came out of Finn's mouth who finished his exclamation with a punch to Sebastian's face, knocking him back and starting an all out brawl between Finn's ranch friends and Sebastian's posse. As Kurt neared Rachel, he found himself running into David who stepped into his path and grabbed his own arms to hold him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" David snarled and pushed Kurt backwards with the force of his weight, Kurt struggling and trying to look past the ogre before him to see his brother and friend.

"David. Let me go. They need me!"

In response David pushed Kurt back to the floor by the edge of the bar. Kurt winced, but ignored the pain as he tried to scramble back to his feet. He saw David coming toward him and then that view was blocked by a black duster as Blaine darted between them.

"Get outta my way injun!" David threatened and pulled a fist up to Blaine's face threateningly. Blaine looked at the fist and before David could say anything else, threw a punch into David's stomach, knocking him back a step.

Kurt scampered around Blaine and David as quickly as he could, trying to avoid the fight they were getting into and looked around in panic for Rachel and Finn. He found Finn near the entrance, cradling Rachel in his arms and trying to soothe the weeping woman.

"You two need to go. Now. Take her back to the ranch Finn." Kurt commanded as he reached them, taking the coins he had in his pockets and pushing them into Finn's hand. "Now. Get a carriage and go."

Finn looked at Kurt thankfully and slipped out with Rachel while the brawl continued behind them all. People were lying on the floor, chairs were flying, and shattered glass was everywhere.

BANG.

In one instant everyone froze and looked for the source of the shot with their eyes. Santana was holding a shotgun up, dust from the hole in the roof now gliding down around her. "Everyone get the hell out! Saloon is closed for the night!"

Begrudgingly everyone left, picking up fallen comrades on their way to take for care. Azimio and Kyle had to both heft David up, who, much to Kurt's inward amusement, was sporting a swollen eye and a drain of blood coming from a cut lip. The irony that it was the local law enforcement starting and being wholly involved in the fight was not lost on Kurt, nor was it unexpected. Ultimately Kurt was just glad that it was Santana who pulled a gun out first and not anyone else.

Santana was swearing in both English and Spanish, grabbing a broom and setting down the shotgun. Kurt scanned over the room after everyone left and found only Blaine, himself and Santana remained. Blaine had returned to the bar and was drinking the rest of his whiskey from what must have been the only unbroken glass in the place. His eyes were on Kurt, just watching.

Kurt ran his fingers through his hair and looked over the chaos that was once the saloon. He didn't even know where to begin on clean up or what to do, the rush of adrenaline still winding its way through his system. Instead he slowly walked over the broken bits of tables, chairs, and glass and sat in the stool beside Blaine, staring at the mess from there with a large degree of bewilderment.

"You got your family out then?" Blaine asked beside him.

Kurt nodded slowly, "Thank you for distracting him so I could... From the state of him I assume you're fine."

"I can hold my own... or you if you'd let me." Kurt looked over at Blaine and found that he was being winked at.

"I... think I'm good." Kurt murmured back, watching as Santana swept in futile motions over the floor still cursing under her breath.

"Santana... I think we should just leave it for now."

Santana threw the broom to the floor and cursed in spanish before storming off into the kitchen.

"Was he the one?" Blaine piped up beside Kurt, bringing his attention back to him.

"Sorry... what?" Kurt looked to Blaine in confusion.

"That Karofsky fellow. He's the one who hurt you isn't he?"

Kurt didn't reply, instead forming an intense interest in the floor in front of him. Blaine nodded as his suspicion was confirmed by Kurt's reaction. "Glad I punched him then."

Kurt chuckled a little and Blaine stood up, sweeping a hand across the view of the room, "My indian grandmother would say the best solution to this would be fire."

Kurt nodded in agreement, looking up at where Blaine stood and asking, "Why didn't you stay with your mother's family if your father kicked you out?"

Blaine frowned and turned his head away, "I didn't belong there either." His statement was simple and concise, and with a tone that indicated that would be all he said on the matter.

"Well. I'd better go help Santana calm down and figure out what to do. Thanks Blaine.. again." Kurt touched a hand to Blaine's shoulder gently and briefly as he stood up and passed into the kitchen, going to see if Santana had broken into the scotch and letting Blaine walk himself out.

* * *

By the time they normally would have closed up, Santana and Kurt had managed to clean up the saloon as best as it could be. The tables and chairs that could be salvaged were pushed to the back wall and the floor had been swept off twenty times over until it was bare before Kurt mopped it clean of blood stains.

Thankfully they still had more glasses in storage, though they would never have quite as many as they did before.

Santana had already posted a help wanted sign with Rachel's sudden departure and a couple girls had come and inquired, setting up appointments for interviews the next day once things were tidied.

Santana had mostly been quiet throughout the night, and Kurt suspected it wasn't just because of the brawl. She wouldn't respond though each time he asked if everything was alright and after awhile he gave up on asking.

When she left, Kurt sat himself at a stool at the bar, the saloon seeming much more empty and somehow more beautiful with the floor bare of furniture, almost like a stage. He poured himself a small glass of the scotch Santana had started on and sipped it, enjoying the silence and peace after the chaos of the day.

He heard footsteps on the porch outside and called out, "Closed!" before taking another sip of his drink. The footsteps reached the saloon doors, which were pushed open, revealing David who had a black eye and stitches on his mouth. Kurt immediately went cold and froze in spot, seeing the same murderous stare in David's good eye that had chilled him to the bone before.

"Where the hell did you go for two days?" David demanded as he strode up to Kurt who pulled his knees up a little as his posture became rigid and self protective.

"I was recovering after you attacked me!" Kurt spat up at David, his voice wavering slightly despite the defiance.

"I never did anything to you! You got that?!" David had his face right in Kurt's at this point and Kurt was doing his best to hold his ground and not pull away from him.

"No. You did. I have stitches and bruises, and you threw me down again tonight." Kurt stammered back right to David's face.

David snarled and grabbed Kurt's thighs with his hands, pinching them down against the seat. Kurt flinched against the hold but braced himself inwardly, preparing for more since this was quickly becoming an unwanted routine.

"And if that indian scum didn't get in the way, I would have done more. You shouldn't be getting in the way of my boys." David's hands were going to leave a mark in his thighs. Kurt could feel them tingling from lack of blood flow.

"Your boys were attacking my family and trying to take my friend to the brothel." Kurt said. He knew he was too deep in now to avoid being hurt, so he would make the most of his words while he could.

David lifted his hands off Kurt's thighs and Kurt gasped a little as the blood quickly began flowing back into those parts of his leg, making it burn in sensation. David drew his revolver and pointed it at Kurt's chest.

"You're lucky we let you exist. You DON'T interfere." David reiterated. "Now get up and get to the kitchen."

Kurt looked back at the saloon door, hoping that someone would come out of that dark night that he had just been enjoying. He tried not to look at the gun, knowing that he could easily lose himself if he thought about what it suggested. Slowly, Kurt slid off the stool and walked to the kitchen, David prodding him with his gun the whole way.

When they reached the kitchen, David nodded toward the counter and Kurt looked from the counter and back to David in confusion before the larger man indicated, "Lean over it."

Kurt's heartbeat increased to an unheard of level. Somehow having a gun to his chest was much less threatening than what David was about to do. "No. No. No... I'll... I'll suck you off again. Please no..."

David laughed and jabbed the gun toward Kurt. "You'd like that wouldn't you. Little whore. No. You need some good punishment."

Kurt couldn't help it now. His eyes shed tears down his face as he backed up toward the counter, pleading still the whole way.

"Drop your pants." David commanded, ignoring the pleadings and licking his lips as he watched Kurt back up.

"Somehow I didn't think I'd find you here... doing this..." A third voice noted, and Kurt and David both snapped their heads to the kitchen doorway where Blaine stood, one hand hovering over a revolver in his holster.

"What the fuck injun. Get the hell out..." David turned the gun toward Blaine and before it could fully be aimed on him, Blaine had his own gun lifted out of his holster and pointed back at David.

"Forgot something here and came to collect. Wonder what people would think if they knew the sheriff liked cock." Blaine mused aloud, keeping his sights on David.

David realized he was the odd man out and lowered his gun. "Fucking indians..." He stormed past Blaine who kept his gun and eyes on David until he knew he was safely all the way out the door.

Kurt leaned back against the counter and quickly tried to rub the tears off his face with the back of his sleeve. His heart still beating at a rapid pace.

Blaine re-holstered his gun and walked over to Kurt, standing in front of him and looking him over to assess what, if any damage had been done. "I can't keep saving you sweet stuff."

Something snapped again in Kurt, and his arm again moved to slap Blaine - the adrenaline too much to handle with all the emotions attached, and the suggestion that he was so weak he needed to be saved, true as it seemed to be. This time however, Blaine caught Kurt's arm instead of letting it mark his cheek and they stayed there, staring into each other's eyes for a moment before Kurt launched himself forward and angrily pressed his lips against Blaine's.

The move had been instigated by Kurt in a need to feel in control, and powerful, and then continued because it just felt right. He hungrily mashed his lips against Blaine's who returned the kisses with a lot more gentleness than Kurt was using on him.

In his head, Kurt acknowledged this was madness. In one moment he had gone from being about to be raped to forcing himself on someone else. He shouldn't be so lustful - should he? His experiences with David should have turned him off sexual need - right? Especially now, except he was, and it hadn't.

Animalistic fury took Kurt over and he felt the need to dominate. He pushed himself back against Blaine, his arms moving to pull off Blaine's duster as quickly as he could, arms in a flurry as they tried to undress the other man.

"Kurt..." Blaine murmured between kisses, wrapping his arms around Kurt's waist and pulling him close.

Kurt growled back, "Don't talk." The duster was dropped to the floor and Kurt's hands moved to unbuckle the first of Blaine's belts, returning his lips to Blaine's.

Blaine complied, humming softly back against Kurt's kisses. Blaine's hands moved more slowly and less aggressively, moving up from Kurt's waist to the buttons on his shirt which he carefully unclasped one at a time.

Kurt's lips were quickly swelling from the pressure, and it wasn't the only thing swelling. His pants had becoming too confining now and Blaine's hands moving on him only made him feel more forceful about getting Blaine undressed.

Within the next couple minutes, the two men men were standing in a pile of their entangled clothing with nothing left but undershirts, socks, and briefs. Blaine's leg was hitched up around one of Kurt's who moved them back to the wall, with Blaine sandwiched between the wall and Kurt. They were both releasing a medley of moans and whimpers as they discovered sensitive spots on the others with their roaming hands. Their swollen members rubbing against one another through their underwear.

Kurt pulled away from Blaine with a small gasp and looked at Blaine with wild, fully dilated eyes, "I need you."

Blaine nodded back to Kurt, his pupils also fully expanded and lustful. He hooked his fingers on the waistband of Kurt's briefs and slid them downwards to the point where they fell to the floor on their own, his hands then moving to gently touch and explore Kurt's exposed cock.

Kurt moaned and buried his face in Blaine's shoulder. He moved his own hands down over Blaine's back and assisted Blaine in the removal of his own briefs, so they were both exposed to one another.

For another moment they were happy to touch each other and steal glances down at their penises that seem compelled to rub against one another. Kurt left a mark on Blaine's collarbone where he suckled the skin and Blaine nibbled on Kurt's ear until Kurt tipped his head back and whimpered.

Kurt pushed gently against Blaine then and understandingly, Blaine lowered himself down, pulling Kurt on top of him as he laid down on the ground atop some of the clothing where they resumed kissing, though more gently now. Kurt moved his hands down and lightly groped at Blaine and then around to his ass, moving a finger between Blaine's cheeks to rub against the hole there.

Blaine moaned and looked up at Kurt hungrily, murmuring, "Do you have any oil...?" Not wanting to speak more than he needed to since Kurt had ordered him quiet beforehand.

Kurt took a moment to process Blaine's words through the sensations of pleasure he was feeling. He nodded and dug into a nearby cupboard to retrieve a flask of oil, with Blaine miming to him that he should put it on his fingers.

Kurt followed Blaine's lead and coated a finger in the oil before slipping it up into Blaine which caused him to gasp and squirm a little. Kurt watched him with a mixture of bewilderment and fervor, slowly moving the finger in and out. After a minute, Blaine's body seemed to relax and respond to the motion, his mouth again emitting low lusty growls and so Kurt added another finger to bring Blaine back to a point of discomfort, continuing the cycle until he was relaxed with three fingers stretching and scissoring inside him.

It was at this point that Blaine reached down and wrapped a hand around Kurt's cock, tugging it gently toward him. Kurt looked to Blaine, asking permission with his eyes and Blaine nodded to him. He removed his fingers, causing Blaine to whine softly, and lubed his cock up.

Kurt kneeled over Blaine then, rubbing the tip of his member against the opening of Blaine's ass before pushing it in. As he did, Kurt was overcome with sheer desire and need. Nothing had ever felt so right and Blaine was making noises under him that pushed him on until he was fully submerged in the man below him.

Kurt had a hard time controlling himself after that first plunge in and found himself thrusting back and forth, slowly at first and then more quickly and passionately. Below him Blaine was a mess of limbs and beautiful noises. Kurt lost himself and without regard to anything else, thrust until he came inside Blaine, letting out a soft cry into the night before collapsing on top of Blaine.

It took a few minutes for Kurt to regain his senses and when he did they all bombarded him at once. The realization that he'd just had sex for the first time, that it was with Blaine, that it was right after David tried to do the same to him, that it was in the kitchen of all places. He moaned and found Blaine wrapping his arms around him and holding him closely.

"Can I talk now...?" whisper Blaine below him, his head nuzzled into Kurt's scalp.

Kurt pulled himself off of, and out of Blaine, pushing himself out of the man's arms, "Oh... god. Blaine. I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

Blaine's brow furrowed and he looked at Kurt in total confusion, "What? Why?"

Kurt searched through the pile of clothing around them for his own clothes, his eyes tearing up, "I didn't mean to. I mean I wanted to... but I..."

A hand touched Kurt's and he looked toward it. Blaine was touching his hand and stroking it gently. "If I didn't want it... I would have said so. I think by now you should have figured out how much I did want it."

Kurt's eyes traveled up the hand to Blaine's face. "But I didn't even care... I didn't even care if you were enjoying it..."

Blaine laughed softly and sat up, reaching to pull Kurt to him. "Don't worry. I did. The proof is on our stomachs." Kurt allowed himself to be held and looked to the sticky mess on his stomach, realising then where it had come from.

"God I'm a mess..." Kurt murmured as he burrowed against Blaine's warm body.

Blaine kissed the top of Kurt's head. "Could sponge ourselves off if you have a basin..."

Kurt laughed at that and Blaine looked taken aback. "I meant in my mind... though yes, I guess I am physically too right now."

Blaine chuckled then, realizing his misunderstanding. He ran a hand up and down Kurt's side, which in his post orgasmic sensitivity, Kurt found made him shiver. "Sleep with me?"

"I wouldn't leave you alone now if you made me." Blaine stated and Kurt wondered if it was because of their intimacy, or because Blaine had taken on the role of protector. No matter which it was, Kurt didn't want to be without him tonight.

Together, they gathered up their clothing and snuck up the stairs, where they had to entwine their bodies together closely in order to fit on Kurt's small bed where Kurt quickly fell asleep. Blaine kept one of his colt revolvers near him that night and didn't sleep as he held Kurt in his arms, watching the door and periodically laying gentle kisses to the pale boy's forehead. Blaine knew that he had awoken a dragon in David by interfering in his attack on Kurt, and now that dragon could attack at any time.


	5. Chapter 5

When Kurt woke up, it was to the warmth of the sun beating down on his naked body. It took a moment for Kurt to recall the previous nights events in his sleepy haze and realize that there wasn't the warm body beside him that was expected. He opened his eyes and looked over his room, not seeing Blaine. On the nightstand however was a note and one of Blaine's revolvers.

Kurt reached over and grabbed the note, bringing it close to him so he didn't have to get out of the comfort of his bed to read it.

_Had to check on Minnie and feed her. Keep the gun for protection. -B_

Not as romantic as Kurt might have hoped for, but underlying the message was the fact that Blaine cared about him and wanted him to be safe.

It took a few more minutes before Kurt dragged himself out of the bed and got dressed. He wore his belt loose to holster the gun against the small of his back and let his vest hide the hilt. Kurt packed a satchel of mending with thread, needles, and patches and went through the back door of the building towards Blaine's camp.

Kurt purposely walked around the town instead of through it to get to the campsite. He didn't want to run into anyone from last night, and for now he wanted to remain ignorant of the fallout from the brawl.

When he did get to the camp, Blaine was crouched beside Minnie who was eating something out of Blaine's hand - a carrot it looked like, while Blaine stroked her forehead with his other hand, speaking in hushed tones to the mare.

Kurt smiled and neared the pair, setting down his satchel by the burnt out fire as he closed in on them. Blaine didn't look up as he heard Kurt's approach.

"She's upset I left her alone."

Kurt raised an eyebrow. Growing up on a ranch he had the understanding that animals served a functional purpose for service or food and hadn't heard anyone talk about their animals as if they were people with feelings. He knelt down beside Blaine and gently pet the mare by her ears, "How do you know that?"

Blaine pulled another carrot from a bag beside him and held it out for Minnie to eat. "She won't look at me and is still to my touch."

"Ah. Well women can be temperamental." Kurt joked and smiled as he said it.

Blaine grinned, "Must be why I like men."

The men laughed together and Blaine took a look over Kurt's midsection. "Where's the gun?"

Kurt turned himself in place and lifted his vest so he could show Blaine the gun tucked into the back of his belt.

"I'll teach you how to use it." Blaine said, standing up and brushing off his hands.

Kurt chuckled and stood as well, pulling the gun out and pointing at an empty bottle by the dead fire. He lifted his armed hand and shot one, the bottle shattering on impact.

He holstered the gun again and looked back to Blaine who had arched both eyebrows in surprise. "I grew up on a ranch. I can shoot just fine."

"Then why don't you have one so you can protect yourself?"

Kurt shrugged a little as he spoke, "Originally I thought I wouldn't need one living in town since law enforcement was around and armed... And then I just didn't have the money to buy one. So thank you for loaning me one."

Blaine smiled softly, "It's a gift, not a loan. I keep a few I've won in cards so I have more then I have hands to hold them."

"So I'm guessing that's what competition you'll be in then?"

Blaine nodded. "Never spent time on a ranch so I don't know much about cattle herding and branding and all, but I can shoot."

They continued talking for a long while about nothing of substance, after awhile Kurt pulling out his mending and sitting on the ground to work as they spoke. Blaine brushed Minnie and braided her tail and mane, then set about restarting the fire to make a meal. Neither of them broached the topic of the last night and what had transpired between them.

They ate a simple lunch of fried potatoes and what Blaine identified as deer meat. Blaine always added lots of natural herbs to the food he cooked so Kurt enjoyed the flavour and had no problem finishing it all.

"You should quit working the saloon." Blaine stated, leaning back against a tree after finishing his meal.

Kurt looked at Blaine curiously, "I can't. There's not much else I can do for work and I have a rent to pay, a loan to pay off, and I need to save up to get out of here."

"You don't enjoy it though."

Kurt snorted a little in something between a laugh and a huff, "People do what they need to do to get by. How do you have so much money anyhow?"

Blaine's shrugged. "Had a good bit my father gave me when I left, and I play good cards. Never been an issue."

"Well, see, I don't have that particular talent, so I have to work more for less coin."

"What would you do if you had a choice?"

Kurt signed and set his mending to the side, rubbing over his aching hands, "Designing clothing for the rich and powerful, or acting on stage."

"So why don't you do that then?"

Kurt looked at the townscape behind him, "This isn't the place for it. If I can get to New York... Then I might be able to do what I want, but first I have to survive Lima."

"What if I gave you all the money you needed?"

Kurt looked back to Blaine in wonder and confusion. "Why would you do that?"

Blaine shrugged again, "You need it and I have it."

"Blaine... You can't keep saving me. There are some things I need to do for myself. I'm not helpless and I'm not weak. Don't treat me like I am."

Blaine held up his hands in surrender. "I didn't mean to. I just don't put the value in coin most do. If I have it and someone needs it, I give it. I can always get more."

Kurt sighed. He wondered what it would be like if money wasn't such a powerful force in his life. His debt was suffocating and everything he needed came at a price. If coins were just another object, instead of representing the value they did, he wondered what life would be like. It would be so easy to just say yes to Blaine's offer and leave this all behind so quickly, but it wouldn't be right.

"Well... I should see if Santana hired someone yet and send a courier to my dad's ranch to see if Finn and Rachel made it back there alright." Kurt finally said, packing up his work as he spoke.

Blaine didn't respond, but just watched Kurt as he packed, got up, and left. He would come back into town when it was time to drink and play cards.

Kurt walked through the town on the way back, intending to stop at the post office. He saw, but hurried past, some of Sebastian's posse near the carpentry shop. Thankfully, for Kurt at least, they seem occupied hassling the manager for money and didn't notice Kurt.

He went in and out of the post office with no hassle and made his way back to the saloon without event. As he entered the saloon, he found, not Santana, but Kyle and Azimio and two girls he didn't recognize. He paused in the doorway and just waited there, not wanting to get closer to the boys ahead of him.

Azimio was the one who saw him first and the big, burly black man turned to Kurt, "Congratulations little fairy prince, you're the new manager. These ladies are your new employees. You screw us over or steal - you're dead."

Kurt's jaw dropped and he looked at Azimio, stammering, "Where's Santana?! Is she alright?"

Kyle and Azimio snickered at some shared joke and Kyle noted, "She's found new employment after the damage she caused to this fine establishment last night." He pointed up at the hole in the ceiling.

"But... the fight wasn't her fault... she just stopped it." Kurt looked between them. The entire time the two ladies behind them were quiet.

"She didn't manage the place well enough anyhow. Your turn." Kyle laughed and walked past Kurt, purposely bumping his shoulder with his own and pushing Kurt to the side in the process. Azimio followed closely after, leaving Kurt with the two female strangers and a wealth of questions.

"I'm Mercedes..." spoke one of the girls and Kurt looked over at the curvy ebony woman. Her hair was braided back and she wore a taffeta skirt with a gibson blouse.

"... and I'm Marley." said the other girl and Kurt looked her over. She was a very slight brunette and he noticed she was wearing the same as Mercedes, but in a darker suede.

Kurt looked over his shoulder where the two men had gone and then back to the women before him. "Well I guess we get this place in order and while that's happening, tell me what you know."

Mercedes and Marley helped Kurt without question, pushing tables and chairs back into place from where he and Santana had pushed them against the wall. During this process they told them they had both been working in the Karofsky manner up until this morning when David had told them he was reassigning them here with no warning. They didn't know what happened to Santana and having spent so much time around Karofsky's, knew better than to ask.

Both of them had come from farm families, looking for a better life in town, and had ended up trapped just like Kurt. Mercedes unloaded a wealth of gossip about the ladies coming and going from the manor, the number of Lima townspeople in debt to the Karofsky's, and the amount of time Mrs. Karofsky spent self medicating with drinks in the home. Marley was a lot quieter and spooked everytime she heard something unexpected.

Kurt tried to give them the best notes about how to serve, and what to expect from the patrons. Mercedes offered to make the supper dish and went into the back while Kurt and Marley did a final wipe down of the furniture.

Kurt would see if anyone tonight knew what happened to Santana. Failing that he would go talk to Quinn after work and see if she had heard any gossip.

Blaine was the first one in and as he looked at Kurt behind the till, Marley trying to pre-fill glasses, and Mercedes setting the counter with filled plates, a look of confusion filled his face. He caught eyes with Kurt, who shook his head and mouthed that he would explain later, calling over to Marley that Blaine would be having whiskey.

After Blaine there was a steady stream of customers, and Kurt tried to make things easier for the girls by letting them know what the regular patrons would want and who always ordered the supper. Thankfully the evening didn't get too rowdy or loud, though the guest number was lower, especially since none of David or Sebastian's men were in attendance.

Today there had been a barrel racing competition and many of the locals had been beat over some hotshot kid from a far west town. Many bets had been lost and the mood was sour because of it. Blaine stayed at the bar near the register between card games and he and Kurt continued their dance around one another, neither about to talk about the nature or existence of their relationship.

When the night came to an uneventful end, Kurt directed Mercedes and Marley on clean up routines while he counted cash. Blaine stayed behind and Kurt saw out of the corner of his eyes the girls exchanging glances, but he said nothing.

"I need to go next door and talk to Quinn. See if she knows anything about Santana." Kurt noted to Blaine. Throughout the evening, Kurt had baited customers with mentions of Santana to see if they would say anything or ask about her, but it seemed everyone was tight lipped.

"She's next door." Blaine said, swirling the last sip of his whiskey in the glass before downing it.

Kurt chuckled, "I know that. I tailor for Quinn all the time."

Blaine shook his head, "No. Santana. She's next door."

Kurt blanched and stopped in mid-count, looking exasperatedly at Blaine. "What? When the hell did you find that out? Why didn't you tell me?"

Blaine shrugged up his shoulders, "Thought you knew. Heard it from a couple guys playing cards tonight."

Kurt leaned forward on the counter and stared down to Blaine, who didn't flinch or move back, "What exactly did you hear?"

"She was grabbed on her way to the bank today, by some of the" and Blaine snickered through the next part, "lawmen here."

"And?" Kurt goaded him on.

"And they took her to the whorehouse. Whatever your friend last night got saved from, she inherited."

"Shit." Kurt picked up the cash and counted through it quickly, putting it away in the safe with the invoice as fast as he could. He told Mercedes and Marley he'd be back and to keep cleaning, rushing out of the saloon and towards the bordello, with Blaine following slowly behind him at a more leisurely pace.

"Quinn?! Santana?!" Kurt yelled as he pushed open the doors and looked around the lobby. Some of Quinn's girls, Sugar and Kitty, pointed down the hall and Kurt followed their directive, speed walking down until he got to the end of the hall and Quinn leaning back against a door, almost guarding it.

"Quinn. What happened? Is she alright?" Kurt had to take a breath after speaking, between rushing and rambling, he was out of air.

Quinn nodded and looked down the hall where Blaine was slowly trailing after Kurt before looking back to him. "They dumped her off here this afternoon. Said she's a good lay who just needs training in being an obedient whore." Quinn growled after that, clearly not pleased with having to quote it. "She's in with Brittany."

Kurt's stomach knotted, and he felt like he needed to vomit. He wasn't the only one who had been taking abuse from the elite in town and he felt like an idiot for not realizing that Santana was going through something major. "Can I see her?"

Quinn nodded and stepped aside, though raised a hand to stop Blaine, "You stay out though. She's had enough trauma today without being crowded."

Blaine nodded and turned to lean against the wall opposite the door and Kurt pushed the door open slowly, calling gently, "Santana?"

On the bed, Santana was balled up with her knees held to her chest. One of Quinn's girls, Brittany, had her own arms wrapped around Santana and was whispering to her. Santana looked up when Kurt came up and choked on a sob, "Kurt..."

Immediately Kurt rushed to her and put his own arms around her as he climbed the bed, "Santana. I didn't know what had happened. I was worried, and they wouldn't tell me... and..."

He realized he sounded like a self obsessed fool and shut his mouth, just looking over his friend with empathetically pained eyes. Santana whimpered softly and Brittany stroked her hair, "It'll be alright sweetheart... at least we can be together now..."

Kurt cast a glance at Brittany and then back at Santana. It quickly became very clear why Santana had been enthralled to have received a brothel token last week, and it was just another thing Kurt realized he had missed. How much more could he be ignorant about he questioned to himself.

"Kurt. I said no to him, and he got so mad, but I didn't want to be with anyone else anymore..." Santana spoke between sobs and Kurt found himself tearing up as well. How many other people in town would share the same story they did he wondered. How long until David got really angry with him?

"I know Santana. I know. David..." Kurt choked a little and he and Santana looked each other, sharing a knowing gaze. It wasn't long before they were embracing and crying in each other's arms, random thoughts and words being spoken in no coherent conversation. Brittany left to get them some water to drink while they worked through the shared pain.

Once they had gotten all the tears out that they could, and had a drink of water, Brittany left them alone and they just talked. Kurt told her all about David, and Santana told him all about Kyle. When she refused Kyle yesterday morning, she had found herself held down and raped and then in here, told that if she didn't work off her own debts here that her parents would be fired from the mine where they both worked just south of the town, or worse, find themselves in a closed mineshaft.

Kurt shook his head after Santana spoke, "Why do we all allow this? When did it get so bad?"

"Oh Kurt... it's always been bad. We just tricked ourselves into thinking these things wouldn't happen to us." Santana wiped her face over with a wet cloth, trying to clean off the tear streaks.

"But why do we stand for it? There's more people in Lima than there is Karofsky's and Smythes, even with their posses. We shouldn't have to live in fear of them."

Santana nodded slowly and passed the cloth to Kurt who also wiped off his face, "We shouldn't... but we do. No one is brave enough to publicly stand up to them."

Kurt sighed, "Will you be alright here?"

Santana nodded, "Quinn said she'll just have me help with the prep work and cleaning around here and I don't have to... do that. Plus I'll be able to be with Brittany. I love her you know..."

Kurt smiled weakly. "I could tell by the way you two look at one another. I never knew you were... you know... But I'm happy for you."

Santana gave Kurt a genuine smile and hugged him. "You 'git. I'll be around. We'll see one another. It's not like this is goodbye."

Kurt hugged back tightly, "No. No goodbyes. Take care of yourself."

Kurt left the room then and as he did, Brittany hurried herself back in. Quinn was gone but Blaine was still there, and Kurt admonished himself for forgetting Blaine was shadowing him and spending so long in the room.

Blaine didn't seem to mind though and as Kurt arrived he noted, "Can we go? I keep having to tell these women that I don't like vagina and they keep pushing. As a rule I don't hit women... but if I keep having to rebuff their advances.."

Kurt snicked and nodded. "They're just doing their job." He walked out the door and Blaine once again trailed behind him. What Kurt wouldn't give right then just to be able to hold Blaine's hand out in the open, but they both knew the unspoken rule that they needed to look detached from one another publicly in order to be safe to be together privately.

Kurt checked in on the saloon and noted that Marley and Mercedes had left it in pristine condition. He and Blaine then made their way to Blaine's camp so that Blaine wouldn't have to leave Minnie alone for another night. While Kurt washed himself off in the nearby creek, Blaine let Minnie off her rope and let her run and drink from the creek as well.

"Don't you worry she'll run away?" Kurt asked, watching the beautiful mare dash through the field.

Blaine shook his head, "When someone is a part of you, they don't run from you. She also knows she won't get nearly as many treats from anyone else."

Kurt smiled and retreated to the tent, undressing himself and neatly folding his clothing into a pile before crawling under the blanket. Blaine came in not long after, once Minnie had been tied and fed. He looked at Kurt laying in front of him and just watched for a moment until Kurt interrupted whatever thoughts had been going through his head.

"Why do you just watch me sometimes?"

Blaine slowly began undressing himself as he replied, "Because you're gorgeous. Why wouldn't I want to look?"

Kurt shook his head, "No... there's more to it than that. I can see something in your eyes."

Blaine sighed and didn't respond until he was also undressed. He crawled in beside Kurt and wrapped his arms around him, drawing him near. "I'm trying to decide what to do."

Kurt lightly traced over Blaine's chest with his fingers, combing them through the small tufts of hair that led a path from his chest down to his groin. "About what?"

"You." was the simple and curt reply given. Kurt tilted his head back to look up at Blaine, asking with his eyes to expound on that.

"It's not like I've met many... hell... anyone like me before... at least not anyone who would say as much openly. Hit on lots of guys, and ended up run out of towns. You're the first one that I realized might like me back. Not quite sure what to do now though."

Kurt kept his eyes on Blaine the entire time he spoke and once he was done, leaned up to press a gentle, chaste kiss to his lips. "I have a hard time believing you'd let yourself get run out of a town..."

Blaine looked down to Kurt, "I could've stayed I guess, but there was no reason to, so I let them push me out of towns..."

Kurt moved his hand to stroke Blaine's cheek gently, "And I do like you back. It's not even a question."

Blaine smiled a little at that, and it was a somewhat goofy grin that made Kurt chuckle with delight.

"Look. I don't know what to do either. Let's just play it by ear and make sure no one else finds out about us. I don't want to get hurt, and I sure as hell don't want you getting hurt." Kurt finally said.

Blaine nodded and then brought his lips back against Kurt's. They exchanged the tastes of one another as their tongues met - Blaine tasted like coffee and whiskey, while Kurt tasted like honey and vanilla. Both thinking the other tasted like heaven.

Their hands roamed down so they were each gently stroking the other while kissing sweetly. It was such a dramatic difference from the night before, but less driven by passion, and more by affection. Blaine began moving his kisses down Kurt's chin and down his neck, then chest. It took a moment for Kurt to realize what Blaine's intent was before he went from enjoying the pleasure to feeling panic. "No!"

Blaine looked up, clearly confused. His head hovering over Kurt's stomach.

Kurt shifted and sat himself upright, "I mean... please. Not that. I don't think... anything but that please."

Blaine's eyes danced from Kurt's penis back to Kurt's face and he finally nodded, moving back up to return to kissing Kurt on the lips and stroking Kurt's cock back to full erection.

After a while, Blaine reached over to his medical satchel and fished around in there before pulling out a small jar. Kurt realized it must be lubricant and nodded to Blaine as soon as he saw it, laying back down.

Blaine dipped a finger into the lube and then teased the finger along Kurt's hole, looking up at Kurt's face as he whimpered and wiggled in place with anticipation. The finger slipped in slowly and Kurt moaned at the sensation of being spread, loving the slight burn that came with the stretch. He wondered how many times Blaine had done this before, being so prepared after all, and knowing just what to do, but the thought was pushed from Kurt's mind as Blaine began thrusting the finger back and forth inside him, rubbing just the right spot to make Kurt feel like he could come right in that instant.

"You make the hottest sounds..." Blaine murmured up at Kurt, beginning to push a second finger in and spreading Kurt further out. Kurt found he couldn't form a coherent reply because all he could emit was whimpers and moans. Once his ass was used to two fingers, he started pushing his hips down on them.

"Just... you just need to get in me Blaine. Now."

Blaine tried to protest, saying that Kurt was still too tight but Kurt kept repeating, "Now, please, now."

Coating his penis in lubrication, Blaine removed his fingers from the hole and straddled Kurt, gently opening up the puckered entrance as he pushed himself forward into Kurt, who groaned. Kurt's hands balled into fists beside him as he felt himself stretch to inhuman amounts around Blaine's cock and the burn intensified. Blaine paused, looking over Kurt to ensure he was truly alright before continuing the slide upwards until he was buried completely in the pale man.

Once Blaine had reached that point, the men looked at each other, both breathing heavily. Their gazes both held craving for the other and both moved themselves so their lips could meet in a kiss while Blaine began slowly thrusting back and forth, enjoying the way Kurt whimpered into his mouth with each slight movement.

Kurt didn't take long to come, and Blaine watched as he soaked himself in a sticky, warm glaze all over his stomach, crying softly into the pillow he had grabbed to muffle the noises he was making. It was entirely too erotic, and Blaine gave one forceful thrust more before coming inside Kurt, groaning along with the pulse of his orgasm.

They stay like that for a moment, Blaine keeping himself held up above Kurt, while Kurt trembles beneath him in shocks of post-passion sensitivity, Then Blaine pulls himself out and gets some bandaging cloth from the medical satchel which he uses to delicately wipe off Kurt's messy stomach and chest, and then his ass, which has begun to leak out Blaine's seed.

"That was my first time... doing that." Kurt murmurs, half out of it, and still in a blissful haze.

Blaine smiles softly and notes, "For me too." He throws the sticky, used bandage to the side of the tent, reminding himself to discard it later.

Kurt opened his eyes partially and looks over to Blaine, "But... you talk like..."

"I told you. I've never met anyone who might like me back." Blaine explains before Kurt can finish and then lays beside him, pulling the blanket up over them both. Blaine uses the pelt of an animal as the bottom of his makeshift bed and in this moment, it is insanely cozy.

Kurt made a small whine and pulled himself up against Blaine's side, who wraps his arms and legs around Kurt in return and kisses his forehead.

"When I visited my mother's tribe, there was a medicine woman there. She was two-spirited. It's a term used for people like us... or like your friend Santana. It's respected. She told me what I would need to know."

Kurt nodded slowly against Blaine's chest, "Respected? How could you feel like you didn't belong then?"

"Because I didn't. You just know when you don't fit into things." Blaine laid his head back on the pillow and absently stroked Kurt's back as he looked up at the tent ceiling.

Kurt slowly felt himself drifting off, his body spent and his emotions still high. Before he dozed off, he whispered, "I feel like I fit with you."

Blaine didn't respond, and just continued to stroke Kurt's back once Kurt fell asleep. Truthfully Blaine felt the same, but they didn't live in a world or time where their relationship could be acknowledged without risking themselves harm. He also didn't know if he could transition from his carefree, nomadic existence to something more permanent and stable for a boy he really didn't know that well.

Before he let himself sleep, Blaine mouthed the words to a saying taught to him by an elder.

**_When you are in doubt, be still, and wait; when doubt no longer exists for you, then go forward with courage. So long as mists envelop you, be still; be still until the sunlight pours through and dispels the mists - as it surely will._**

**_Then act with courage._**

* * *

The quote is from Ponca Chief White Eagle, a medicine man and religious leader of the Ponca tribe in the late 1800's. The Ponca were originally thought to live east of the Mississippi river until the Iroquois wars pushed them west of the Ohio river. Today they have tribes in Nebraska and Oklahoma.


	6. Chapter 6

The next few days found Kurt creating new habits. He woke up, went to the saloon to gather new mending and go around town to drop off the clothing that he had tailored, then returned to Blaine's camp to work there. He worked the evenings at the saloon, getting to know Mercedes and Marley better, and then returned with Blaine to camp when it was done. It had been days now since he had slept in his own bed, and he was becoming quickly accustomed to Blaine's company.

He had received word from Finn that he and Rachel had made it back to the ranch, and to not let Burt and Carole know what had transpired to make them rush back other than a rapid engagement and desire to be together. So far there had been no repercussions and no one had gone out to the ranch looking for them. Burt was also apparently talking about building a house on the ranch just for Finn and Rachel and the very heavily hinted at future grandchildren. The thought of either of those two as parents made Kurt laugh.

Despite demands from Kyle, Quinn refused to allow Santana to work as a lady of pleasure, saying she was too valuable to her as a manager. When Kurt had last stopped on at the brothel, Santana had actually looked quite happy and back to her old snarky self. Being at the bordello provided the perfect cover for a lesbian couple, and though Santana had to share Brittany with paying customers, they had made something for themselves in that place.

Blaine had been increasingly practicing his shooting skills while they spent their days together. He was planning to compete in all the shooting competitions, from distance shots to moving shots. He went through an insane amount of ammo and Kurt would spend part of his day cleaning up shell casings from the ground, always jokingly declaring that Blaine was inconsiderate of his environment for a half blood.

Kurt had also learned to use a shotgun at Blaine's behest. While Kurt was a decent shot with a revolver, he had never used a shotgun before. The weapon was comparatively large and awkward and Kurt definitely didn't like the kick back it gave. "Why on earth would anyone use this over a colt?"

Blaine chuckled and took the shotgun from him, reloading it and aiming out at a tree trunk he had been using for target practice with his revolver earlier, shooting a round into it which overtook all the smaller bullet marks in size, "More damage."

Blaine had also allowed Kurt to go for rides on Ominitago. Kurt had missed riding horses out in the open. Going so fast through the wild gave him a bit of a thrill and the mare was absolutely fearless, vaulting over felled tree trunks and plowing through rivers with ease. It had quickly become one of Kurt's favourite times of day and he could see why Blaine would value her so much. She had a personality too, easy to temper and demanding. Kurt imagined that if Santana were a horse, she would be an appaloosa mare too. Blaine noted to him though, when Kurt said that aloud, that Minnie reminded him of Kurt. "You're both happiest when you're free."

Kurt had also insisted on tailoring some new clothing for Blaine, whose clothes had so many patch jobs and stitches he wondered if there was anything left of the original fabric. Blaine had insisted on simple clothes since he wasn't courting royalty and politicians, so Kurt was limited in his ability to design what he might have otherwise created, but he was happy to be able to do something for Blaine aside from provide him with company and free whiskey.

"Why do you drink so much?"

Blaine shrugged when Kurt had asked him that. "It's what people do. Why do you drink so little?"

"Because it costs too much and it's just something you rent." Kurt informed him matter-of-factly while threading a needle.

"I suppose... but it takes the edge off. I'm better when I've had some in me." Blaine said. He was cleaning his gun during this conversation so both boys were talking but not looking at one another, focused on their own tasks.

"Better how?" Kurt thought for a moment and then noted, "I like you just fine during the day when you're not drinking."

Blaine chuckled and pulled a flask out from the pocket of his duster, pointing at his mug of coffee, "I'm never not drinking."

Kurt looked at the coffee mug and his jaw dropped, "You spike your coffee too? Blaine... you're going to kill yourself drinking all day everyday like that."

Blaine shrugged and Kurt immediately got frustrated with the ambivalent gesture, "Don't shrug it off! You realize then I've never seen you without the alcohol in your system?"

Blaine shrugged again, causing Kurt to throw his work to his side and reach over to grab the flask from Blaine, opening it and pouring it out onto the ground while a shocked and perturbed Blaine watched.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Kurt looked back at him, pained, "You can't expect me to take care of myself and protect myself if you aren't going to reciprocate. That shit will eventually kill you if you drink it like that."

Blaine groaned and left his gun cleaning, walking over to Minnie and saddling her up. "I'm going for a ride."

Kurt huffed, "Fine. Don't talk about it. Just run away from dealing with it."

Blaine paused and Kurt realized that perhaps he had said too much. After a moment, Blaine climbed atop the mare and rode off, without another word.

"Dammit..." Kurt swore to himself.

By the time Kurt needed to work, Blaine hadn't returned, and Kurt was stewing in a blend of guilt and anger. Guilt for what he had said, especially knowing that Blaine had made a habit of running from situations he didn't want to face, and anger that Blaine was avoiding him regardless of what he had said.

Kurt walked through town to get the saloon, arms full of clothing he had spent the day mending. Naturally because his mind was so preoccupied, and his arms were so full, David took this opportunity to block his path.

"You haven't been staying at your room."

Kurt took in a deep breath, looking up at David. He kept his expression as stoic as possible. "I'm staying with a friend. I haven't felt safe there."

David tsk'ed at the response. "That's a shame. Especially since I as the sheriff have nothing but your safety in mind. You should perhaps feel a little more at ease with me around."

"I don't have time for this David. I have to get to the saloon to work." Kurt tried to walk around David, but the man kept walking in front of him and blocking his path. After a couple tries, Kurt stopped. "What is it you're wanting David?"

"Well haven't you just grown an attitude." David remarked, one of his hands poking through the tailoring pile Kurt had in his arms despite Kurt trying to pull away the clothing. "Here's what's going to happen. You're staying at your place tonight, or I'm going to agree to the requests being made by some of Smythe's boys to visit your ranch and take your brother into custody for inciting a brawl."

Kurt stomped a foot down, "You can't! They started that!"

David shrugged and Kurt realized just how much he hated that particular gesture. "As the sheriff, I say otherwise." He smirked a little and leaned in towards Kurt, "See you tonight. Oh, and I would make sure that little injun boy isn't around this time. Wouldn't want anything to happen to him either." David's hand made a sudden swat against the clothing pile then, sending them scattering across the ground.

As David lumbered off, Kurt gathered up the clothing and tried to gather back his spirit. Things had been going too well, he realized. He shouldn't have just expected David to lay off with Blaine's threat to out him.

Kurt thought about telling Blaine. To what end though, he wondered. Blaine would realize just how little Kurt was worth then, since Kurt would have to tell him about David using him before. And if Blaine showed up again, or did something to David, no...Kurt couldn't risk anything happening to Blaine.

Kurt wasn't so afraid now of what David had planned for him. He had shared himself with Blaine, and given that part of him freely to the man he wanted. He still couldn't bring himself to give or receive fellatio, but he had been getting closer to feeling alright with it. Now he wondered if he would be able to be intimate with Blaine at all.

He cursed himself. How could he think like this, so amoral. He wasn't brought up to share himself between two people, even if one wasn't his choice. It wasn't even a possibility to deny David, just look what had happened to Santana, and there was no bordello for him to be relocated to if he pissed off David. Did that mean he had to give up Blaine? How the hell could a god exist if he made Kurt love men, then denied him the ability to be with the one man he wanted.

Kurt was still overtaken by his inner debate when he got back to the saloon, not even acknowledging Mercedes and Marley who had already prepped the place for customers.

He kept to himself as customers arrived and let the girls serve them. A part of him waited for Blaine to arrive, but another part didn't want him to. He didn't want to have to make this choice, but he didn't know what else he could do.

Every now and then he would catch David looking at him appraisingly, and if he felt no one was looking, David would give him a wink. When Blaine winked at Kurt, it made him warm up inside and his heart would flutter. When David winked, it made Kurt want to vomit.

Eventually Blaine did arrive and took his now usual place near Kurt's register at the bar. When Kurt brought him a whiskey, Blaine shook his head. "I'm not going to drink it if you don't want me to..." and Kurt realized that because of David's ultimatum, he hadn't even thought again about their argument from earlier. It made Kurt's heart feel like it was cracking, and at the same time, made him angry. Angry at Blaine for being so damned likable when Kurt needed to cut him loose for their own good. His anger spilled over in that moment.

"Then why the hell are you here?!" Kurt snapped and grabbed the whiskey glass back.

Blaine looked startled and then he drew his brows together, looking at Kurt as if he had lost his mind. "What do you mean why? You know why."

"No I don't. I really don't. You haven't told me why and you somehow expect me to know as if I have super powers or something."

Blaine looked away and murmured, "Well you should know."

Kurt slammed a fist down in front of Blaine, "Well I don't! So tell me! Share with me your infinite native wisdom. Tell the stupid white boy what is so obvious!"

Blaine blinked and looked back at Kurt, obviously not understanding where this overdramatic response came from. "Kurt..."

"You treat me like I'm some kind of pathetic pet that needs to be protected and shielded from the world. Well guess what... those of us that actually face our problems actually know how the world works and how to deal with it. We don't all have the luxury of running away."

Blaine's eyes shifted for just a fraction, and Kurt could see just how much he had hurt him. For just that fraction of a second, Kurt could see how much he meant to Blaine and how much what he said hurt him. Then that instant was over and Blaine's eyes clouded over in anger as he stood up and walked out the door without another word.

Kurt watched him go, releasing a trembling breath as he did. He knew what he had done, but it was for their own good. At least, that's what he kept telling himself. He looked down at the whiskey glass he had grabbed from Blaine and in one quick motion, emptied it down his throat, wincing at the burn it made traveling down his neck, chest, and gut.

When he next looked at David, he saw the man was smiling wickedly at him, and Kurt realized he was going to need more than one drink of whiskey to get through the night. He refilled the glass and kept refilling it throughout the night until by the time closing came, he could barely stand without using the bar as a support. Mercedes and Marley had exchanged constant glances between one another whenever they noticed Kurt, and while he saw them do it, he didn't give them the satisfaction of acknowledging them.

By the time he got to leave, he was completely wasted and needed to empty the contents of his stomach by the back door. Kurt didn't drink very often, and holding his liquor had never been something he had been good at when he did. His eyes were fogged over and he felt like he was living in a hazy world. How could Blaine constantly drink this stuff. He didn't feel better, he felt worse. He had no control over what his body was doing and couldn't focus on anything for very long.

Somehow he ended up in his bed, and when he tried to focus his sights, he saw David over top of him. Kurt thought he might have protested, but all he remembered next was a hand on his throat forcing him back against the bed and then blinding pain. Everything was blurry and unreal, like he was in a nightmare he couldn't wake up from. Everything hurt and at some point he passed out, whether because of the alcohol or pain, or both.

When morning came, Kurt's head was pounding and as he tried to move he found he couldn't without pain arcing through him. He whimpered and tried to look around for someone, but found himself alone, the vague memories hitting him along with the very clear memory of him berating Blaine.

So Kurt laid there, every now and then trying to push himself to move, but finding that each attempt was worse than the last. He knew something was very wrong with him, but with the throbbing in his temples, he couldn't even get his eyes to focus to try and survey himself for damage. He would pass in and out of sleep, but the migraine and the pain wouldn't go away when he woke up.

Finally he woke up to someone, a woman's voice, "Get the doctor here..." He thought it was Quinn, but he found himself falling back unconscious before he could confirm it.

The next thing Kurt remembered was an unfamiliar smell and as he opened his eyes he felt a hand squeeze his, "He's waking up!"

Santana was there, holding his hand. His head still felt horrid, but the pain in his body seemed a little better. He shut his eyes again, the light making his brain feel worse, "Where am I Santana?"

"At the clinic. Me and some of the girls brought you here when Mike said your room was too... unsanitary to keep you at."

Kurt moaned. That didn't make sense. He kept his room spotless. Maybe it was a doctor thing.

Santana gave his hand another squeeze and dropped her voice, "It was David wasn't it?"

Kurt murmured in the affirmative and again, found himself lost to dreams. He was running in his dream, but he couldn't yell. He was escaping something or someone, but he couldn't see them. He knew he had to get away though, if only he could yell for help.

"Kurt, you need to wake up. I need you to swallow some pills for me." Mike nudged him back into consciousness, and Kurt found himself with Mike, and Santana was gone. The pain had returned however. It was, thankfully, dark outside, so he didn't need to worry about the sunlight attacking his eyes.

"I need... to go to... work..." Kurt mumbled, trying to sit himself up, which ended abruptly as a sharp pain coursed up him and made him fall back down in spot. He let out a small cry of frustration and watched as Mike simply shook his head and put the pills to Kurt's mouth, which Kurt took in and let be chased by a drink of water that Mike poured in his mouth.

"Santana said you wouldn't want me contacting your family, but I think it would be prudent." Mike said as he began the process of checking over Kurt.

Kurt started breathing more heavily, realizing that his condition must be worse than he was letting himself think if Mike was suggesting that he get ahold of his father. Thank goodness for Santana. He didn't want his dad to know. Let his dad think he died in a gunfight or brawl if that's what it would come down to. Don't let him know about this.

"What's wrong with me Mike?" Kurt choked up, trying to not think about his dad and end up crying on top of everything else.

Mike sighed and pulled a stool up to the bed. Apparently this was going to take a while. "You have broken ribs, bruises all over you, anal tearing, bite marks, scratches. At some point it looks like you might have been choked..." Mike swallowed, "Kurt, who did this?"

Kurt shook his head a little, feeling his neck ache with the movement. "You know how this town works. I can't say anything..."

Mike didn't respond for a moment and Kurt recognized the look in Mike's eyes as one of pity.

"None of that sounds so terrible though Mike..." Kurt realized how ridiculous he must sound, saying this to a doctor. "I'll heal up and be fine."

Mike frowned and rubbed a finger against his temple as if soothing a headache, "You'll heal up... but as you said, I know how this town works. When women come in like... this. They heal and then in a week they're back, until eventually they're in the ground."

"I'm not a woman..." Kurt grumbled and looked away. It was like a shot, like he was once again assumed to be weak. Maybe he was though. Look at what he allowed to happen to him. He had a gun now and everything and he was still stuck in a bed.

"I didn't mean it like that Kurt. You know what you are and you need to know I'm fine with that. Someone was as violent to you as they would have been with a woman if they were inclined that way. Was it that curly haired man I've seen you walk with?"

Blaine. Oh god, thought Kurt, Blaine may be crude, violent, and liked his drinks a little too much, but he had never been anything but gentle with Kurt, and Kurt treated him like shit for it when it was exactly what he needed and wanted.

"No... it definitely wasn't him." Kurt whispered and tried to turn his head away so Mike couldn't see the tears welling up in his eyes.

"Well... I'm keeping you here anyhow. You're definitely not going back where you can be attacked again. I would like to contact your family though."

Kurt shook his head a little once again, "Please. Don't."

Mike grumbled and Kurt could hear him walk away. He could hear Mike talking to Tina, though he couldn't make out the words. Kurt prayed to himself that they weren't going to send notice to his family.

After awhile, Kurt heard footsteps coming back and heard Tina's voice, "Kurt, are you awake?"

Kurt nodded and Tina walked around the bed so she could see his face, "Hey. I know you don't want your family here, but Mike is having a hard time accepting that. When you black out, which you still will for a bit, he needs someone to make decisions on your behalf. Is there anyone else we could contact for that?"

Kurt sighed and asked, "Santana maybe?"

Tina frowned, "We thought of that but she should stay in the bordello where she's safe. She nearly was attacked by some of Sebastian's boys when she came to the clinic."

Kurt chuckled a little at the irony of the bordello being a safe place, then resumed his thoughts. He knew he wanted Blaine there, wanted him there more than anything, but he was so damned ashamed of himself and guilty still over his hurtful words. Still, maybe Blaine could help Mike with getting him fixed up so he could get to work faster. He did seem to know a good bit about indian healing.

"Blaine... he's got a camp just out of town past the road leading to the general store..."

Tina nodded and walked back off, leaving Kurt to fall asleep once again.

This time when he woke up, his head didn't hurt as much. There was still a soreness that came with any migraine, but he didn't feel like he had a vein trying to pulse outside of his skin on his temples. He grumbled a little to himself, wishing he could sleep and just wake up healed.

"Hey there."

Kurt blinked his eyes open and saw Blaine there, sitting beside him with his hat in his lap and his fingers fidgeting over the brim. Blaine's eyes had deep dark circles underneath them and he had let himself grow a bit of stubble when he usually kept himself pretty clean shaven.

"Hey..." Kurt drawled out, just keeping his eyes locked on Blaine. What was wrong with Kurt that he could have said such hateful things to this man, who was so clearly sitting there worried over him.

Blaine didn't say anything else. He didn't know what to say, or could say. He just breathed slowly and kept his gaze on Kurt for a long while.

"I knew by the way..." Kurt finally broke the silence and his eyes looked down and to the side, shamefully.

"Knew what?"

"Why you were there. Why you've always been there. I knew." Kurt explained, biting down on his lip then, trying to stall the tears forming in his eyes.

Blaine's hands ignored his hat then and reached out to brush the tears from where they were trying to escape from between Kurt's lashes. His hands moved so carefully and finally Blaine just sighed exasperatedly, "I just want to hold you but I'm afraid I'm going to hurt you worse..."

Kurt chuckled at that. He needed any excuse to laugh and that was as good as it was going to get. Blaine looked confused by the laughter, but settled then on stroking Kurt's hair with one hand and holding hands with Kurt with his other hand.

"I'm so sorry Blaine. I didn't mean any of what I said..." Kurt admitted, looking up at Blaine for forgiveness.

Blaine tipped his head down and kissed Kurt's forehead. "You weren't wrong though, and this just proves it. I shouldn't have run away from you then. I just proved I run away from my problems and look what happened to you..."

Kurt forgot his limitations for a moment and tried to move closer to Blaine, wincing as he was rudely reminded by his body that it wasn't going to happen. "And all I'm proving is that I actually do need to be protected."

Blaine shook his head, "You're stronger than you give yourself credit for. Look at how you turned me into a sappy sack."

Kurt chuckled and gazed up at Blaine, "I don't suppose you could convince Mike to let me heal up in your tent again? At least then you could lay down beside me."

Blaine frowned and looked over Kurt before replying, "I don't want to hurt you by moving you... and I need to know what happened. Mike explained your injuries to me. I'm not a fool. I can put together what probably happened, but you need to tell me."

"So what? You can take out vigilante justice? That doesn't work in this town Blaine... it just doesn't" Kurt had been hoping to avoid talking about the source of his injuries for at least a little while but it didn't seem like he would be getting away with it.

Blaine frowned, "Of course I want to retaliate... I lo-.. I care a lot about you. That someone would do this to you infuriates me. And that you might be protecting them by not exposing them makes me even angrier - but at you. You are worth more than that."

Kurt shook his head and wished he had more freedom in himself to look away, "I'm not... and I can't. Be angry at me then."

"I'm going to find out. I don't care how this damned town works. This is not how humans should treat one another regardless of where they hang their hat."

"Blaine please... don't. I can deal with this... but I don't think I could handle having you get hurt or worse because of me."

"Dammit Kurt. Don't be so selfish. How do you think I feel right now seeing you like this! Why should I have to be seeing you like this and not be able to do anything about it?!"

Kurt looked at the pain on Blaine's face as he spoke and knew he couldn't say anything to refute that. "I'm sorry..."

Blaine exhaled and rubbed at his eyes to remove tears before they erupted, "I'm not just some stupid half-blood Kurt. I don't have half of the feelings and half of the brains as a white person despite what people have said."

"I never thought you did Blaine... " Kurt murmured, wondering where that last statement had come from for a moment before realizing that Blaine was venting about some of the things he had dealt with. "Oh Blaine..."

Blaine dropped his head down by Kurt's and for a moment the two nuzzles their faces against one another, Kurt ending the moment when he giggled as the feeling of Blaine's facial fuzz rubbing against his cheek. They kissed softly and Blaine pulled back away, exhaling.

"When I leave here. I want you to come with me. I'll pay any loans you have, anything. I'll go to New York and figure out how to ride a horse down between all those buildings if that's where you want to go. I don't want to live without you."

Kurt went wide eyed. This was as close to a proposal as someone like him would ever get. Hell, this was his fairy princess tale fashioned for his gay self.

"Just think about it Kurt. I don't expect you to answer right away... I know you have family out around here and friends n' all. I would just do... almost anything to give you your freedom from this place and be able to be a part of your life forever."

Kurt slowly forced himself to nod, his eyes locked on Blaine, still just as wide as before. In that instant, he would have said yes. But now as the thoughts of his family and friends being left behind here, in Lima, he hesitated. Why the hell did Blaine tell him to think about it. If he had just gone on instinct he would have already been celebrating and not worrying about anything else. Now his mind was having to think about leaving the people he cared about in the care of those he hated.

Blaine took both of Kurt's hands in his own then and Kurt remembered that he still had to breath, "Blaine... you need to know... so much..."

Blaine nodded to Kurt and just looked at Kurt, waiting for him to continue.

So Kurt told him. He told him about his mother, and how he lost her. He told him about his dad, and how he had almost lost him. He talked about Finn, and about Rachel. He talked about what had happened to Santana. He explained his debt, and how he had now paid it over at least twice, with the ridiculous interest rate he had agreed to. He explained how the rent kept going up, and finally he talked about how David had forced him to "pay the rent increase". Kurt watched as Blaine held his breath, and tried to hold back his obvious anger when he spoke about the last bit. He could tell Blaine realized that the attack he had rescued him from before was not the first time David had forced himself on Kurt, and obviously wasn't the last given Kurt's current state. Kurt kept talking though, talking before he lost the nerve to talk or before he came to his senses and realized the danger he was putting both of them into.

When he was done, Blaine was quiet and Kurt realized he hadn't said everything. "There's one more thing you need to know."

Blaine just shook his head and looked incredulously at Kurt, "There's more? How can there be more?"

Kurt shook his own head and squeezed Blaine's hands gently. "No... this part isn't so bad. In fact, I actually think it's kind of good given everything else I've said."

Blaine nodded and squeezed Kurt's hands back, "Well then. Tell me. I'm still here and nothing you've said has scared me off or made me want to be with you any less."

Kurt felt himself warm at that. Any idea he had about Blaine being disgusted with him for what had happened or unwilling to put up with damaged goods were gone.

"You need to know... that I think I love you, despite my crazy mood swings and drama... No. In fact I'm pretty sure I do."

Blaine smiled warmly back at Kurt and Kurt could feel Blaine's fingers stroking over his own, "You know I do too..."

Kurt nodded, this time he did know.


	7. Chapter 7

Over the next couple days, Kurt improved dramatically, as both Mike and Blaine used their different skills and knowledge to tend to him. His ribs would still need a good while to heal, but the rest of him was doing a lot better and with support, he was able to walk around a bit and not feel so absolutely useless. Being able to walk meant, after all, he didn't need Tina diapering him up like a baby to deal with his bodily functions.

Kurt insisted that Blaine stay with him as much as he could. Blaine thought it was because Kurt felt better with him around, and while it was true, Kurt did it mostly because he didn't want Blaine out in town, seeking out David and getting himself hurt in the process. Blaine had even let Ominitago off the rope to let her run free so he wouldn't have to worry about leaving to feed and tend to her all the time. Kurt felt horrible when Blaine told him that, "But she means so much to you..."

"You mean more." Blaine said curtly in response.

Quinn had also come to visit, bringing well wishes from the girls and Santana. She made sure Kurt knew that he didn't have to worry about paying for his medical care, and it was only then that Kurt realized that not only was he missing out on lost wages, but he was racking up a medical debt.

Kurt was also visited by a banker one day who had come to get him to sign a loan payoff form, indicating that his loan had been taken care of. He looked at Blaine when the banker told him that, who just smiled softly in response. After the forms had been signed and the banker had left, he queried Blaine, "But I haven't even agreed to go with you..."

"Whether or not you leave with me... I didn't want that loan on your shoulders anymore. I looked at the records. You've paid it back threefold already. You shouldn't have to worry about lining the pockets of the rich in town anymore."

Kurt was also becoming fast friends with Mike and Tina, who he and Blaine would share meals with. He had sampled his first authentic asian cuisine which was absolutely divine and insisted that Tina write up as many recipes as he could for him. Both Mike and Tina were hoping that they would eventually have enough saved to move back east to start a clinic there and raise a family, having had enough of a taste of the west for their palettes to handle.

"How is it that I have to get hurt in order to be able to enjoy myself?" Kurt mused while Blaine checked the bandages around his chest one afternoon.

Blaine gently ran a finger along Kurt's ribs to check the bruising, which admittedly made Kurt more excited than pained. "What are you talking about?"

Kurt looked down at where Blaine had loosened the bandages, seeing the angry browned bruising on his chest, his nose wrinkling up in self disgust. "I count the first real vacation I've had in a long time as when you were taking care of me at your camp, and now here... even though I'm hurt, I don't have to work, and I get to have you to myself all day. I get to see friends without having to need the excuse to see them for business related reasons and then rush out."

Blaine caught Kurt looking down at himself and pressed a hand to Kurt's forehead to gently make his head lay back against the pillow so he couldn't look at himself. "Well don't start hurting yourself to take a break from things in the future alright? I can do this, but I don't want to be a nursemaid all the time. Doesn't suit me."

Kurt laughed and then stopped abruptly, feeling the pressure on his lungs from his ribs stopping him. "I don't know. I think you'd kind of look cute with the little hat they wear..."

Blaine gave Kurt an incredulous look and just shook his head, making Kurt giggle a little in response.

"When do you compete?" Kurt asked then.

Blaine was redoing the bandages to keep Kurt's ribs restricted so they could heal up better. "Tomorrow and the next couple days after that..."

Kurt thought back to how Rachel would go to cheer on Finn, realizing now why she did it even though the actual events Finn participated in seemed barbaric and dis-interesting to him. "I want to come watch you."

Blaine finished off the binding and pulled Kurt's shirt down over it, keeping one hand on Kurt's stomach, rubbing it softly. His abdomen had received it's own share of bruises and a number of scratches that were healing now. "I don't know if you should be making a trip out yet."

"I think I'll make that call." Kurt huffed, making eye contact with the ceiling above him. He was so damn tired of looking at that ceiling.

Blaine nodded and then pulled the blanket up over Kurt and leaned down to kiss the top of his head. "Then I'll talk to Mike and see what he thinks."

Blaine left then, going to do as he said, and leaving Kurt to have a nap. Kurt dreamt about riding Ominitago through a valley, Blaine sitting behind him on the horse. They were traveling to nowhere in particular and enjoying the ride for it's own merits, not worrying about where they were heading. Kurt was vaguely aware, in his sleep, of his mind's attempt to seduce him with the symbolism of the dream.

When he woke up again, it was dark outside and Blaine was snoring softly in the chair beside him. Kurt was content to just watch Blaine sleep, the scruff on his face was growing into a soft beard and he had kept his hat off whenever he was in the clinic, letting Kurt mentally trace the rings of curls on his head.

Kurt had been debating with himself again and again as he had been forming an indent of himself in the bed. He wanted nothing more than to leave with Blaine, every selfish bone in his body rang out with the desire to just go, leave Lima behind, and find a new life with Blaine.

But then he would think about his dad, and Carole, Finn, Rachel, Santana, and all the others. They would still be stuck out here, having to suffer this town without him, and while him being there to suffer with them wasn't necessary, it didn't seem fair that he could escape and they couldn't. He knew if something happened to any of them and he wasn't here, he would feel guilty for the rest of his life.

And so his mind bounced back and forth until he gave himself a headache thinking about it. To his credit, Blaine hadn't pushed the question or brought up the topic again. The shooting part of the competitions were the last things to happen before the final celebration occurred and the games were done for the year. If Blaine was competing starting tomorrow, then that only gave Kurt a few days to make his decision.

Blaine murmured softly in his sleep, a habit that always made Kurt's heart spin in delight. It was about the cutest thing the boy did and always made him forget anything he was thinking about and pay attention, watching Blaine's lips mouth nonsense words before he would inevitably go back to soft snoring.

Growing up Kurt never thought of snowing as endearing. His dad did it and sometimes it sounded like a train was going past his room in the middle of the night. When Blaine snored however, it was soothing. Something about knowing he was close while they slept made Kurt feel completely relaxed.

Eventually Kurt reached out and took Blaine's hands in his own. It was a bit of a stretch, but he was having a difficult time falling back asleep without having that contact. Blaine was always warm, and both rough and soft at the same time. It never took long for Kurt to fall asleep with his touch, which is just what happened.

Waking up, Kurt found Tina there with him, Blaine gone. It was obviously morning since Kurt had to squint his eyes to allow them adjust to the light.

"Time for a bath!" Tina announced cheerfully, and Kurt saw she was holding a bucket of water with clothes strung over one arm.

Kurt groaned and pushed himself up to sit. He would be glad to be done with the assisted bathing. Almost nothing was more embarrassing... almost. The diapers he needed initially were pretty awful.

"So I hear you're getting a day pass to go watch the straight shooting today." Tina said, helping Kurt remove his clothing. Kurt always blushed during this process. It didn't seem to matter that Tina was not at all bothered by this process, or that Kurt was not at all attracted to women, including her. Something about being exposed like that for something so innocent made him go all red.

"Yes ma'am. I want to see Blaine beat everyone else."

Tina chuckled, and now that Kurt was nude, she began wiping him over with a soapy cloth. "You're that sure about him?"

Kurt nodded, clothing his eyes as Tina soaped him up, and trying not to imagine that it was Blaine's hands on him lest he have a less than ideal reaction.

"Well I'll tell Mike to put a bet on him then." Tina said, washing over Kurt's face since his eyes were closed anyhow. "Your bruising looks a lot better. Mike is going to see about getting a regular supply of some of those plants that Blaine was using to bring down your swelling."

Kurt smiled, keeping his eyes shut until Tina used a new wet cloth to wipe the suds off his face. "I'll bet if someone bothered to combine all the knowledge about medicine from all the cultures around the world, there could be some really fantastic cures to things."

Tina agreed and set about washing off the rest of Kurt, noting that Quinn had brought over some of his clothing so he could put on something new, though told him nothing too tight or heavy.

When she was done, including washing his hair, Kurt felt a lot better. Not enough could be said about the benefits of being washed. He looked through the clothing Quinn had brought for him and settled on a pair of tombstone style black trousers with a white wing tip top covered over by a canvas vest. He also put on a belt with a holster that Blaine had given him, putting his revolver into it. He wanted to wear a more stylish pair of boots, but settled on a plain stovepipe black pair, opting for comfort. Finally he topped it all off a dillinger renegade style hat, black in color. He looked himself over in the mirror and smiled, opting then to tie on a patterned silk scarf to hide the bruises around his neck. He looked almost normal again, aside from the odd scratch that was healing up.

Kurt walked himself slowly to the front lobby of the clinic where Blaine was sitting with Mike and talking. As he entered, Blaine caught sight of him and he formed a smile that overtook the whole bottom half of his face. "You look great."

Kurt smiled back and did a little spin in place, "I feel a lot better, thanks to you both and Tina."

Truthfully, Kurt was pushing himself. His chest still ached and whenever he walked, he was painfully aware of where he had been torn inside, but he was done with laying around and wanted to rejoin the world.

Blaine stood up and held a hand out to Kurt, who took it with a squeeze, knowing the audience in this room didn't care about their display of affection, however once they walked outside, they let their hands fall back to their sides as they walked toward the centre of town where the competition was being held.

Stands had been set up, and fences put up around the competition area so no one could jump in. Blaine led Kurt to a seat near the fencing, so that he could see him easily. "You don't act like one of those crazy people now and jump up when there's a good shot made hey? I don't want you hurting yourself."

Kurt rolled his eyes, "Yes mum." He sat down and let Blaine go and pay his registration fee and get his revolver checked out to make sure it was an acceptable model. Kurt sat there, listening into the conversations around him about who had betted on who, and who was the favourite to win. Since Blaine was relatively unknown, and hadn't shown off his skill to anyone aside from Kurt, he was listed as an underdog in the competition. Kurt smiled to himself, that meant any payout on bets on Blaine would be big. Knowing Blaine, he had probably bet on himself.

A man walked out into the field and noted that the competition was about to begin. A hush fell over the crowd as they scanned over the large group of competitors hanging out near the left side of the fencing, opposite the targets at the far right.

"Each competitor gets to use up the rounds in their gun. The top ten will advance to the next round." the announcer explained, and Kurt watched as Blaine leaned back against the fence while most of the other competitors were exchanging words and posturing in front of the crowd.

"Line up please!"

The competitors formed a line opposite their designated targets, sheets of canvas with a target made on each for them to try and hit, each target labelled with a competitor number.

"On your mark!"

The competitors lifted their guns, some holding them away from their body, others lining up their sight right by their guns.

"Set..."

Kurt held his breath then, eyes darting between Blaine and Blaine's target.

"Fire!"

A chorus of shots rang out and some of the younger children in the crowd started crying at the noise. Random cheers and booing began, and Kurt had a hard time making anything out in the mess of dust being kicked up by fans, and the movement everywhere. He refrained from nervously bringing his hands to his mouth, though just.

The judges began looking over each of the targets and talking amongst one another. Blaine returned to leaning against the fence behind him during the wait, a lot less nervous than Kurt apparently was, watching the judges intently as they worked on making decisions.

Finally, one of the judges walked to the center of the area and announced the competitors who would be advancing, "Paul Karofsky, Zain Smythe, Ryder Lynn, Blaine Anderson, ..."

That was the last name Kurt registered and he again had to stop himself from jumping up and letting out a whoop. Then it also dawned on him that up until that point he didn't even know Blaine's last name, a bit of blush forming on his cheeks. He looked at Blaine, who he found had his eyes already on him, and offered a congratulatory smile.

Once the competitors who hadn't advanced left the field, some with some obnoxious choice words to be said and threats made, another set of canvas targets was pinned up and the announcer again asked the crowd to quiet, explaining that from this group, five would advance.

Again the competitors lined up, and Kurt saw as some blew kisses to ladies in the audience, while others flexed for groups of women who gushed at the movements. Blaine however just watched the target, and waited for the command to fire.

"Fire!"

Again there was a medley of shots fired, though it was less noisy than less time and there was more hesitation in the audience. This time, Kurt was able to see that Blaine had hit the target perfectly with all his shots.

Another group of competitors was cast out while Blaine stayed. Kurt was absolutely nervous. Blaine was good, but now he was up against the best in Lima. Both of Sebastian's and David's brothers were in this group too, and Kurt scanned the crowd for David and Sebastian themselves, assuming they would be watching.

He found both of them, standing side by side and watching their brothers, chatting with each other and grinning. Surprisingly, Kurt didn't feel sick when he saw David. It was as if David had already done the worst thing imaginable to Kurt so there was no longer any reason to fear or feel revulsed by him. Kurt knew that he still had plenty of reasons to be afraid, but with Blaine around, he knew he'd be fine. This time too, he wouldn't be letting himself drink himself to stupor either.

A break had been called to allow new bets to be placed and competitors to have a lunch. Blaine came out of the enclosure and approached Kurt, "Lunch?"

Kurt nodded and pushed himself up to standing, "The bakery has a soup you can get at lunch. It's decent."

Blaine nodded his agreement and the pair walked there to order themselves lunch, not noticing as David bore holes in their back with his eyes.

* * *

Blaine had paid for lunch, despite Kurt's insistence he could pay for his own. After they had finished, Kurt made Blaine go with him to his room, collecting some of his money from the hiding spots around the room.

"You know... if you really want to end up in the city one day, you should learn how to use a bank..." Blaine noted, watching as Kurt dug under a floorboard for some of his coins.

"When and if that happens, I'll figure it out. I am not putting my money into a bank run by Smythe's or Karofsky's though." Kurt got the last of his coins out of that spot, determined he had enough, closing up his coin purse and tying it onto his belt and standing back up.

"What do you need all that for anyhow?" Blaine asked as they exited his room.

"Going to place a bet." Kurt said nonchalantly, taking the opportunity of them being in private to run his hand over Blaine's back.

Blaine stopped and turned in spot on the stairs, grinning up at Kurt, "And who are you going to bet on?"

Kurt took another step so he didn't have to bend over as he pressed a kiss to Blaine's lips and murmured, "Well that Ryder kid is kind of a cutie..."

Blaine laughed and returned the kiss, his eyes alit as he watched Kurt. "We have lots of money... we don't need anymore..."

Kurt pulled back and questioningly mouthed 'we' after Blaine said it, who nodded in return. Kurt beamed and murmured, "I want to be able to send my dad enough money that he'll never have to worry about making ends meet ever..."

Blaine smiled and reached out to brush a stray hair from Kurt's face. "Well hopefully that Ryder kid delivers then."

They laughed and exited, their hands moving apart automatically as they did. When they returned, Kurt put all his money on Blaine and then returned to his place in the stands, waiting for the competition to begin again.

They reduced their top five, to a top three, with Blaine and each of the younger brothers of the local "lawmen" left. An underdog and the two favorites to win. Kurt could feel his heart pulse through his bandages and threaten to escape his chest.

"Fire!"

Shots once again and this time Kurt shut his eyes. He didn't want to look. He felt a surge of fear, knowing that if Blaine lost he had lost most of the money he had put away and was going to have to live on the streets. Why the hell had he made a bet?

"Blaine Anderson wins!"

Kurt's eyes shot up and he saw the announcer holding up Blaine's hand, who looked less than amused by the hold. One of the Karofsky daughters presented Blaine with a pouch of coin, though clearly forcing the smile during the presentation. Various hoots and hollers in the crowd intermingled with booing and Kurt was sure a couple fist fights had begun by what he could hear, though his eyes were locked on Blaine so he didn't look to confirm.

Kurt smiled at Blaine when they connected sights, and Blaine smiled back, going to the betting stand to no doubt collect on his own bet. Kurt joined him there a minute later and collected his own winnings, gasping as he realized just how much of an underdog Blaine had been rated based on the amount he held in his hands.

"What the hell am I supposed to do with a brothel token?" Blaine grumbled, looking through the contents of the prize pouch beside him, clearly not as impressed with the coins he had won himself as Kurt was.

"I need to send this all to my family now..." Kurt murmured, his eyes wide as saucers as he kept looking at the bag now in front of him.

Blaine nodded and led the way to the post office, Kurt on high alert as he walked, having never held this much money in his life.

On the way there, a couple individuals offered to buy the brothel token off Blaine, who just gave it to the more needy looking of the pair free of charge. Kurt balked, "You could have gotten a decent price for that!"

Blaine raised an eyebrow as he looked to Kurt, "I don't think people should pay for that."

Kurt bit his lip, realizing the raised eyebrow he was getting was because Blaine thought Kurt didn't believe that either, and he truthfully didn't. Lima had had more of an impact on his thinking than he consciously realised. Everything could be bought and sold.

"You're right. They shouldn't..." Kurt sighed. "Been in this town too damned long."

Blaine nodded to Kurt and as they reached the post office, waited outside while Kurt had the coin packaged and sent off with a guaranteed courier. He wrote a note to go along with the package, telling Finn to make sure Rachel had whatever she needed for the wedding she would want.

Kurt kept his original amount of betted coins, intending to use them for the moving target competition tomorrow.

"We should get you back to the clinic." Blaine said when Kurt exited the post office.

Kurt groaned in protest. "I'm so sick of it there... I mean, Mike and Tina are nice enough, but I just want to..." he dropped his voice even though no one was near, "I just want to sleep beside you."

Blaine grinned and nodded sympathetically. "Well then let's go to the clinic and get your things and then go back to your place."

Kurt smiled, "Thanks..." He once again realized that Blaine had let Ominitago go and had packed up his camp in order to stay with Kurt at the clinic in the past few days. His smile became lopsided as he recognized how much Blaine had already sacrificed for him.

They went to the clinic and Mike gave his blessing for Kurt to return home, noting however that Kurt still needed to clean up his sheets and such unless it had already been taken care of. Kurt hadn't checked his sheets when he had been at his home earlier today, a blanket having been spread over his bed. He cringed a little when he thought about the stains that might be on there, but Blaine told Mike he would make sure it was taken care of and they went first to the general store to get Kurt some new fabric for sheets.

Blaine was carrying a ridiculous amount, all rolled and packed together and Kurt realized that he usually had a horse to help him carry the load. "I'll find you another appaloosa one day..." Kurt said quietly as they slowed walked together.

Blaine looked over at Kurt and smiled, "Ominitago will come back once she has her fill of freedom."

Kurt furrowed his brow, "Why would she come back when she has her freedom?"

Blaine chuckled, "Well, she'll miss the carrots obviously."

They laughed and reached the saloon, going slowly up the stairs and into Kurt's tiny room, which seemed a lot smaller with Blaine and all his gear in it. Kurt took a tentative swallow and moved to his bed, slowly pulling back the blanket and then turning away when he revealed the stains of blood, sweat, and rips in the sheets. The blanket being pulled away also revealed a rank stench that quickly filled the room, making Kurt hurry back down the stairs and out the back door to be sick in the dirt.

After he had gotten back his composure and his soup and bun from lunch had dirt kicked over it, Kurt returned to his room, where Blaine had stripped down the mattress and tightly balled up the old sheets and blankets. Kurt moved to help Blaine set down the fur pelt atop the mattress as a new, makeshift bed sheet, but Blaine shook his head, "No... you rest. You've done lots today after being so still for the past few days."

Kurt sighed and went to his solitary chair in the corner, taking the pile of mending that still managed to accumulate in his absence and setting it on the floor. He pulled out his sewing kit and started on mending while sitting in the chair. Meanwhile Blaine set up the bed and then tried his best to tuck away his own gear in the crowded space. It was completely domestic, and Kurt felt completely blissful in the moment.

Blaine left for a few minutes to take out the old sheets and blanket to the laundress, Kurt noting that Blaine should just have her donate them to someone in need if she managed to get them all cleaned up, to which Blaine agreed, noting that they had enough for blankets and sheets with what Blaine already had and the material they had just bought.

Kurt loved that Blaine spoke using 'we' and 'us'. They were such simple words, but their use was so romantic coming from him. When Blaine got back, Kurt looked at him with a coy smile, having been just thinking about his subtle use of language to indicate their relationship.

Blaine looked from side to side and then back to Kurt, "Something I should know?"

Kurt shook his head and looked back down at his stitching, "No. Just enjoying this."

Blaine remained looking confused by that, but didn't question it. He continued to unpack his gear, or at least try to. At one point Blaine murmured that Kurt had an awful lot of clothing for someone who complained about not having enough money, to which Kurt countered that he made his own clothing from the scraps of material left after he filled orders and his clothes only cost him the thread it took him to put it together.

Kurt could hear the saloon filling up below them, and wondered how Marley and Mercedes were doing on their own. Neither had come to visit him, though he didn't expect them to since they really hadn't known each other that long. With his loan paid off now, he might even be able to just work on tailoring and not have to work at the saloon anymore. It wasn't the same without Santana and Rachel anyhow.

Blaine seemed a little antsy when Kurt prompted him, "Why don't you get us some supper from downstairs? I need to catch up on all this." Kurt swept a hand over the mending pile.

Blaine quickly nodded agreement, seemingly happy to have something to do. Kurt worked quietly for a time, but then an old song flitted through his mind, and before he knew it, he was singing to himself.

_"__... Stay in my arms if you dare. I must have imagined you there..."_

It had been a long time since Kurt had sang. He was often too busy and didn't have the heart for it these days, but when he was younger, he loved nothing more than going out into the barn where the acoustics were perfect, and pretending he was singing up on a stage.

_"__... Don't make me close one more door. I don't want to hurt anymore..."_

Eventually Kurt had finished off the song and was beginning to hum the tune to himself when he smelled food and looked up, seeing Blaine there watching him wide eyed. A blush fell over Kurt, realizing that Blaine must have heard him.

"Damn Kurt... I must be dead. You sound like an angel."

Kurt chuckled at that and Blaine grinned, sitting himself down at the bed, and setting Kurt's plate down beside him, his own in his lap.

Kurt tidied up his work and set it down to join Blaine at the bed, taking the plate of potatoes and beans onto his lap, and slowly beginning to eat.

"I'm serious though. Your voice is beautiful. I'm going to make you sing to me everyday from now on." Blaine said between bites.

Kurt blushed again and shook his head dismissively. "No... I'm not that good."

"Damn right you are. Forget tailoring. You belong on a stage."

Kurt looked up at Blaine and judged his look to be serious. "Then you can take me where there is one..."

Blaine nodded and then continued eating. He was mid chew when he realized what it was that Kurt had said and set down his plate, moving closer to Kurt and swallowing the food in his mouth, "Really?"

Kurt set his own plate down and leaned into Blaine, who delicately wrapped his arms around him, minding the ribs. "Really."

Kurt felt a happy hum rise through Blaine and a kiss land on the top of his head. Kurt lifted his face up to kiss Blaine on the lips, a move which resulted in several minutes of exchanged kisses until their dinner's became cold.

Eventually they did finish off the cold white and brown mash and Blaine took the plates back downstairs while Kurt prepared for bed. He was already tucked under the covers when Blaine came back. Blaine pulled the tricky door closed behind him and made a point of moving a set of drawers in front of the door.

"What on earth are you doing?" Kurt asked, watching him.

"There's no lock on your door." Blaine said, as if that was an explanation.

"Are you expecting someone to burst in?"

Blaine looked back at Kurt with exasperation, "I would think that after what's happened to you, you'd want to feel a little more secure."

Kurt shook his head and waved Blaine towards him, trying to get him to join him in bed. "When you're around I'm safe."

Blaine rolled his eyes and started stripping down, setting his revolvers on the nightstand. "I thought you didn't want me protecting you all the time."

Kurt shook his head, his eyes hungrily scanning over Blaine's body and wishing he was healed up completely so he could take advantage of him. "I don't mean like that. I mean I feel like nothing can touch us when we're together."

Blaine slid into the tiny bed and had to lay on his side to fit beside Kurt who needed to sleep on his back. "You're adorable."

Kurt smiled and tucked his head against Blaine's chest as Blaine kissed his forehead, the pair quickly falling asleep together, with smiles on their dreaming faces.


	8. Chapter 8

The next day had Blaine competing in the moving target shooting competition. Essentially, things were tossed in the air and competitors had to shoot them. It would be a lot less orderly than the still target competition because it meant each competitor went one at a time.

Since Blaine had done so well the day before, his ranking went from underdog to favorite overnight. Kurt still intended to bet however, as any gain he got on the bet would be more than he started with.

There weren't as many competitors in this competition, as hitting a moving target was vastly more difficult than a straight shot. The brothers of David and Sebastian were both there though, as well as most of the higher ranked competitors from the day before. Kurt grinned as Blaine's advance to the field was met by a cheer from the crowd, who definitely loved it when an underdog rose up. Blaine however, didn't pose for the crowd, or even wave. He was all business as he readied himself for the tosses.

In each toss, Blaine only needed one shot. Plates were the first target for this competition, and Blaine hit each and every one at the peak of their throw, causing an increase in the scatter of plate bits over the ground. Just like the day before, Kurt was completely tense throughout Blaine's time on the field, while Blaine himself looked bored with what he was doing.

Kurt didn't pay much attention to any of the other competitors as they went through the first round on the field. Every now and then he would lock eyes with Blaine, who was leaning once again against the fence to the side, and smile supportively. Blaine managed not to smile back. Since so many eyes were on him, he didn't want anyone to realize that he was with Kurt and put him at risk.

Once again, the competitors were reduced to five and lunch was called. Again Blaine and Kurt went to the bakery to eat together. Again, David watched them leave together, seething.

After lunch, Kurt excused himself to go to the washroom, when he returned he found Blaine and Sebastian toe to toe, scowling at each other. Kurt came up beside Blaine to see what was happening.

"Get back Kurt... I may need to punch this ass." Blaine said, without looking back to see Kurt's approach.

"You'd better keep your dog in check there Hummel." Sebastian directed to Kurt. "I'd hate to have to put him down."

A smack reverberated through the area in front of the bakery as Blaine punched Sebastian across the jaw as soon as he had finished speaking. Sebastian stumbled back a couple steps, his own hand moving up to his reddening jowl. "Da' 'ell!"

Kurt stepped forward quickly and put a hand on Blaine's shoulder, trying to hold him back, "Blaine... don't! You'll get yourself jailed!"

Blaine let loose a low snarl, but stayed in place, not taking his eyes off of Sebastian who retreated backwards a few steps before turning and walking quickly away, hand still holding his jaw.

Kurt could feel the tension in Blaine lessen from where he had a hand on his shoulder and Kurt rounded the space in front of Blaine to look him in the eye, "What just happened?"

Blaine stretched out the fingers of the fist he had used to cuff Sebastian's jaw and sighed, "He suggested I needed to throw the competition if I wanted to keep my genitals attached."

Kurt blanched at the thought. He should have suspected that the Smythe's might try to interfere with the competitions. There was a certain amount of prestige that went along with winning shooting competitions in this town, and for some outside to win it would be unheard of.

"Blaine... You know it's a serious threat right? They get what they want."

Blaine rolled his eyes and started walking back to the competition, Kurt following along. "I'm serious Blaine. I don't want you to get hurt."

Kurt didn't get a response right away, but right before they got to the stands, Blaine turned in place and looked straight at him, "Kurt. If no one says no to them, they'll never change. I'm not afraid of them and you need to stop being afraid of them too."

Kurt mulled on that quietly, walking away from Blaine to sit in his place in the stands. Blaine watched him sit and sighed before entering the competitors area again.

Again, it ended up coming down to Blaine, Paul Karofsky, and Zain Smythe. Sebastian had joined David at the sidelines, an angry red welt on his chin. Both were glaring at Blaine, as if they could bring him down with the force of their eyes.

Again, Blaine won, his hand lifted into the air to the cheers of the crowd, women around Kurt screaming and shouting out requests for him to bed them, which Kurt just silently smiled about.

Again, they met at the payout centre, Kurt getting double his bettings and suggesting again that they head to the post office so he could send off the profit to his family. This time however, they were delayed by Blaine's new fans who requested he give them his signature. Kurt watched as Blaine complied with the requests, hands tucked into his pockets. He was actually glad Blaine hadn't thrown the competition. He was proud of him, and not just because he had won, but because he had been true to his values.

Kurt wanted to be true to what he believed was right too. In that moment, he knew that he needed to be doing more than just believe in what was right, but act in a way he knew was right, even if it meant being afraid. He was afraid anyhow, at least if he faced his fears, he could live with integrity.

"You ready?" Blaine asked and Kurt was shaken from his thoughts. He nodded to Blaine and they headed to the post office, sending off the profits with a note in which Kurt told his dad that he had met someone, someone he wanted him to meet one day. He smiled over to the side and peeked at Blaine who was waiting by the door. He would take Blaine to meet his family before they left Lima. He wanted nothing more than to show off Blaine to the other loves in his life. He wanted Blaine to see where he had grown up and know who his family was.

When they left, Kurt made a bold choice and reached down to take Blaine's hand in his own, right in the middle of the street. Blaine blinked and looked down at the union of their hands and then to Kurt in shock. "Kurt..."

"I should be able to walk down the street holding hands with whomever I want." Kurt announced back to him, ignoring the stares they were receiving.

"It's not that I disagree Kurt... but..." Blaine was also noticing the looks, but instead of ignoring them, he shot back threatening glances. "... I don't want you to do something you'll regret."

Kurt interlaced their fingers, strengthening the link between their hands. "I'll never regret being with you. I meant it last night... nothing can touch what we have together."

Blaine sighed softly, resigning himself to having his hand held, and even giving Kurt a little squeeze to the palm. "You always zig when I think you're going to zag. You were afraid of what would happen if I threw the competition earlier and now you're out here asking for trouble..."

Kurt smiled to himself, "I found myself inspired by you."

"What on earth are you talking about Kurt?" Blaine said as they got closer to the saloon, feeling the burn of stares in his back.

"You didn't compromise what you believed was right... and you're right. I need to stop being afraid."

"This isn't exactly what I meant Kurt..." Blaine said as they entered the saloon through the front door for everyone to see. Everyone to see, that is, that they were going in together.

Kurt stopped and turned to Blaine once they were inside, "Well that's what I heard." He leaned into Blaine and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. Blaine pressed back and moaned softly, the chaste kiss creating very unchaste thoughts.

Kurt pulled away and released a small breath of air, setting his head on Blaine's shoulder and wrapping his arms around him. "I never want to act like I'm ashamed to be with you. I want you to know how proud I am to be with you."

Blaine's breath hitched in his throat and he wrapped his arms around Kurt in return, "I hope you are... I want you to be."

After a moment, they retired to their room to share in the same mundane but euphoria inducing domestic life they had begun the day before.

* * *

Kurt awoke the next day to find himself uncovered and Blaine gazing over his almost fully named body, the wraps still around his chest. Blaine was breathing heavily and had a hand stroking his erection up and down as he lustfully scanned over Kurt's body until he noticed Kurt was awake and watching him and then they both blushed deep red.

"You're just so gorgeous Kurt... The sunlight was hitting you just right as the sun came up this morning and I couldn't keep my eyes off of you."

Kurt dipped his head towards his chest, the blush spreading across his face. He reached for Blaine's hand and put it on his own penis, now fully hard as well, and watched as Blaine took in a sharp breath and looked down at Kurt's erection, eyes wide.

"So goddamn gorgeous..."

Kurt whimpered softly, his cock dripping precome onto Blaine's hand. He had been spoiled before David attacked him, being able to enjoy Blaine daily in bed, and had missed his touch.

Blaine suddenly stopped and looked at Kurt worriedly. "Kurt..."

Kurt whined and pushed his hips forward, making his cock move up in Blaine's hand. "I'm fine... We'll take it slow so you don't have to worry about my ribs."

Blaine was shocked for a moment by the jerk of Kurt's hips but didn't continue stroking the shaft, even as Kurt began thrusting against Blaine's hand needily.

"It's not that... Well it is, but not just that."

Kurt whined again, but this time because he felt pain shoot through his heart. Blaine thought he was disgusting after what had happened with Karofsky and didn't want to touch him. He pulled himself away from Blaine and drew up the blanket to cover his body, turning himself away from Blaine so he wouldn't see the tears forming in his eyes.

"Oh Kurt..." Blaine cooed, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I do want this with you... But I'm afraid not only that I'll hurt you, but I need to make sure you're actually ready for that. Mentally I mean."

Kurt whimpered and rubbed his eyes with his hands, the tears having began to trickle down his face. "You think I'm all screwed up."

Blaine cursed himself under his breath, "No, that's not what I meant. Kurt, you were attacked, violently attacked. I don't want what I do with you to remind you of what he did to you..."

Kurt's brow bunched up and he turned his face, now red and blotchy, back to look at Blaine, who I turn looked pained. "Blaine... I could never think of you like I do him...l hate him. I love you."

Blaine tenderly wiped some of the tears off Kurt's face with his fingers, "I know... Which is why I'm so afraid of doing anything to you that might remind you of him."

Kurt pushed himself up and smashed his mouth against Blaine's then, spending a moment tasting his lips and tongue before pulling back slowly to respond. "You make me feel safe, and loved, and have never been anything but tender and gentle with me. Those are things that would never remind me of him. You make me feel amazing when we have sex, and I want that, I want you, so badly."

Blaine licked his lips when Kurt pulled away to speak, eying him with hunger and desire of his own. Kurt realized that Blaine must have been avoiding instigating anything sexual for fear of pushing Kurt away, and that act of thoughtfulness, however misguided, make Kurt even hungrier for Blaine.

"Now, I want to do things to you that I don't ever want my dad to hear about and that would make the girls next door blush, so you'd better be alright with that." Kurt added after a moment.

Blaine moaned and the pairs lips collided against one another as their hands began roaming up and down the others. Their groins ground against one another, erection rubbing against erection between them and Kurt was so sensistive he thought he would come just from the feel of Blaine's cock against his own.

Blaine apparently thought the same and groaned loudly into Kurt's mouth, his hands moving down to grasp Kurt's testicles and squeeze them gently which set Kurt over the edge immediately, his hips jerking up as he came across their stomachs.

"Oh dammit Kurt... Those noises you make..." Blaine moaned, listening to the whimpers and cries coming from Kurt as he orgasmed. Within a minute of grinding, Blaine came too, making a sticky white mess between them.

They laid there for a few minutes, both in bliss and totally worn out. A nagging voice in Kurt's head told him that he was disgusting and needed to wash, which he tried to ignore for as long as possible until it became too much and the drying cum started to feel cold on his otherwise warm body. "Need to clean off..." He murmured into Blaine's ear.

Blaine made a non compliant grunt beside him so Kurt nudged him a few times in the hip before Blaine finally got himself out of the bed and collected a clean wash rag from Kurt's water basin. He gently wiped Kurt clean before using the rag on himself and then set about getting dressed for the days competition.

Kurt wouldn't be able to watch all the action today. The competition would be focused on gun hunting. Contestants would ride a horse from the livery stable and let loose in a lot where several deers, rabbits, and foxes would be set free. Each of the animals was worth a set amount of points, and whomever shot the most in points that day, would win.

Blaine made sure he let Kurt know how much hunting for sport went against the values of his mother's side of the family. "You kill what you need to survive and nothing more. You use all of the animal."

"Then why are you competing in this event Blaine... if it goes against what you believe?"

"Because I also believe that no Karofsky or Smythe should win anything at this point." He winked and laid a kiss on Kurt's lips, who chuckled at the rub of the beard against his face.

They delayed a little before heading out to the stable where competitors would get their horses and pay their registration fee, taking time to make sure they remembered the feel of each other's lips. Kurt promised to come back to the room after he dropped Blaine off at the stable, since he had been ignoring the mending for the past two days. He also needed to write up notes to all his regular customers letting them know that he would be moving on from Lima.

They held hands on the way to the stables, again getting more looks and shakes of heads. Kurt didn't care. The feel of Blaine's hand in his own was worth the stares. It made him feel stronger and more sure of himself.

When it was time, they pulled apart and Kurt sighed, his hand empty and making his heart feel empty.

"Hey. I'll be back before you know it. We'll make a supper out of something I kill." Blaine smiled and patted Kurt's shoulder before saddling up in the brown stallion given to him.

Kurt wrapped his arms around himself and looked up at Blaine on the horse. "We'll need to get ourselves a pair of horses before we leave..."

Blaine shook his head, "No. We'll need to get you one. I told you Minnie would come back."

Kurt chuckled and shook his head, "So damn sure of yourself."

Blaine chuckled and winked at Kurt, "Why shouldn't I be when I've got the best looking man in the world waiting for me when I come back?"

They shared a smile and Blaine blew Kurt a kiss as he headed off to the hunting site, Kurt watching until he could no longer make Blaine out in the distance anymore.

Kurt went to make his bet and then returned to the saloon. Before he reached the door, he heard a winnie and glanced to the side of the building, seeing a familiar appaloosa mare, "Minnie!"

Kurt chuckled and walked up to the mare who nudged her nose into Kurt's hands, breathing heavy wet breathes on his hands. "Blaine said you'd be back. Does he speak horse?"

The mare neighed and nudged her head against the hands, and Kurt began scratching along her mane. "I guess you want something to eat then hmmm?"

Again the horse neighed and Kurt laughed, wondering how crazy he must look with this one sided conversation. "I'll go grab something from the saloon kitchen. Give me a minute."

He was in and out of the kitchen quickly and brought Minnie a few carrots and some potatoes. He wasn't sure if horses even liked potatoes, but the kitchen needed restocking and choices were limited.

Piece by piece, he fed Minnie and then led her to the back door. He didn't have a rope to tie her with, but hoped she understand. "If you stay here, Blaine will be back later. I have some work to do, but I'll check on you later."

The mare snorted and laid herself down by the door, Kurt watching her in shock and wondering if perhaps he actually spoke horse and didn't know it. Eventually the shock wore off and he escaped to his room to work on tailoring.

As he worked, he scanned over his room, contemplating how he'd need to pack up his clothing and things he owned. He'd have to perhaps sell some, or store it with his father since he and Blaine would be on the road for awhile. He could have it shipped by train then once they had found a place to settle.

Kurt found himself making a laundry list of things he needed to do like that before he left. He needed to talk to Quinn, thank her for all she had done for him. He needed to see Santana and make sure she knew how to contact his dad if she needed to get a hold of him for any help. He needed to see if there was a horse even half as good as Minnie to purchase and get a saddle, reins, saddlebag, and all the other necessary equipment for owning a horse. He would also have to let the Karofsky's know, if they hadn't already jumped to the conclusion given his absence, that he was done with the saloon.

He worked diligently, losing track of time. Eventually Kurt looked out the window and saw how much the sun had traveled the sky and realized that Blaine would be back soon. He put aside the clothing and stood up, stretching carefully. He made his way downstairs and checked on Minnie, who stood back up on her legs as he approached and sniffed towards his hands, looking for food.

"Well aren't you just greedy." Kurt mused to the mare, smiling as he said it.

"My, my, talking to a horse. Knew you must be going crazy."

Kurt's head shot up and he saw David rounding the corner of the building, approaching him. Kurt swore under his breath and tensed up, ignoring the burn in his chest. He gave Minnie a slap on the side causing her to run off with a loud neighing cry. If David was going to try anything, he didn't want Minnie to get in the way or be used as leverage against him.

"What the hell do you want David? I'm not letting you do anything else to me."

Karofsky stopped and smirked, folding his arms over his chest a few yards away. "Word is that you're flaunting your homosexuality for all to see."

Kurt narrowed his eyes "So what if I am? I think after all the shit you've put me through I'm allowed to have a bit of happiness."

David's smile fell from his face and he glared at Kurt, "See... here's the thing. I'm pretty sure I've made you mine. Your whore ass is mine."

Kurt winced a little at the term, flashing back to the other instances David had used the word on him. "I don't belong to you. You used me, and now you're coming here saying I'm flaunting the fact that I'm gay. Maybe if you were comfortable with the fact you were gay too, you wouldn't be such an asshole."

David's brows dropped and Kurt saw the familiar rage in his eyes. He braced himself, ready to fight back this time.

"You. Belong. To. Me." David spoke, enunciating each word on it's own and remaining in place for the moment. "I made you mine. Do I have to beat it into you further?"

"No I don't. Forcing yourself on me doesn't make me yours. You could have killed me for god's sake." Kurt's voice was rising as he spoke, nearly yelling now at David. "You're disgusting and I want nothing to do with you."

David moved closer to Kurt. He unfolded his arms and reached out to grab Kurt around the neck. Kurt jumped back out of reach and drew the gun in his holster, pointing it at David, "Get the hell away from me!"

David growled and stopped in place, looking down the barrel of the gun aimed for him. "You wouldn't dare."

Kurt took a couple more steps backward to give himself more space from the bigger man. His arms trembled, but he kept the gun pointed on David. "I would."

David looked at Kurt calculatingly, though stayed in place. "I'm the law around here. If you shoot me you'll be hung."

"You're nothing but a joke. You bring no justice to Lima. You and your family only bring pain." Kurt's eyes were rimmed with tears as he spoke.

David moved then to draw his own gun but Kurt yelled, "Stop!" and David lifted his hands back up into sight, keeping his eyes on Kurt.

"Come on Kurt. You know I didn't mean to hurt you. I want you after all. Why would I hurt something I want so badly?" David tried negotiating, trying to make himself look less threatening in the process.

Kurt shook his head, his arms getting sore from how tense they were keeping the gun up and aimed, "I don't know. I really don't understand you or how anyone could do what you've done, but I don't want to understand either. I just want you to go away."

David tried to take a step forward and Kurt stepped back in time, bringing his back up against the wall of the saloon. A bead of nervous sweat fell down Kurt's forehead, down his nose, and dripped to the ground. David watched the whole process before speaking again.

"You don't want to hurt me Kurt. Come on. Just give me the gun and I won't tell anyone about this."

Kurt shuddered and shook his head again, "I'm not that stupid David. You tried to rape me at gunpoint - do you really think I'd willingly give you my gun?"

David licked his lips, watching Kurt with too much confidence, and not enough worry. The bigger man didn't see him as a threat at all, gun or not. "I just thought you liked that rough stuff is all. I'm not going to do that again."

Kurt kept shaking his head, wishing he could just disappear through the wall at his back and go hide. Instead he was trapped between the wall and David, who refused to back off.

"Really Kurt. Come on, just put the gun down even. You'll end up getting in a lot of trouble if you shoot me and think about how your dad would feel about that."

Kurt bit his lower lip. That was true, but he also knew that David was just trying to manipulate him. He was scared, but not stupid. He kept the gun pointed, ignoring that his palms were sweating around it.

"How about this then Kurt," David took another step forward and Kurt held the gun up a little straighter, shaking his head no to the advanced, "...you put the gun down and I'll tell my boys to call off the hit on your little half blood boy toy."

Kurt made a small gasp, "No... Blaine..." His hands trembled and he was having a hard time keeping the gun pointed straight, but regardless it was still aimed on David, shaking or not.

David smiled softly, "Well he's clearly been cheating in the games, we can't have that... so Smythe insisted we take him down - being a bad influence and all."

Kurt felt a fire start in his heart and his breathing became deeper as his mind started buzzing. "I put the gun down... you tell them all to leave him alone..."

David nodded along with the explanation, "Of course. Of course. Gun down. He gets to go."

Kurt made a soft whine, knowing that he couldn't trust David, but also knowing that any chance was better than none at all in this situation. He slowly brought his hands down, keeping the gun in hand.

Kurt immediately regretted his action as David lunged forward, closing the gap between them. In an instant he had Kurt lifted and pressed against the wall with his body, his hands holding down Kurt's shoulders against the saloon and Kurt's chest felt like it had been broken open with the impact. He cried out, "You have to tell them not to hurt Blaine!"

David grinned and slapped the gun out of Kurt's hand, letting it fall to the ground. "Now why would I do that when it would mean I would have you all to myself?" His eyes looking at Kurt with a wicked gleam.

Kurt screamed and started struggling against David, who unfortunately had a weight advantage. David brought a hand up against Kurt's mouth to muffle the noise, moving his other hand to grope at Kurt's crotch, intensifying the scream against David's hand.

"You must be the stupidest whore on the planet to think I'd let you go and him stay alive. He touched my stuff. He pays. I told them to make his death long and awful." David whispered into Kurt's ear as if speaking seductively to a lover.

Kurt's eyes went wide and David chuckled at the response, then the larger man screamed and jumped back, pulling his hand in toward him, now covered in blood. Kurt fell the ground, adrenaline compensating for the pain in him. He had bit down, hard, on the hand that David had against his mouth and now had blood dripping down his chin and the horrid taste of skin, iron, and dirt in his mouth, but it gave him the chance he needed. He grabbed his fallen gun and pointed it once again at David who was swearing and advancing back on him.

And Kurt shot.

Once, twice, three times - until David had fallen to the ground and Kurt could move away, intending to find Minnie and then find Blaine, save Blaine, as fast as he could.

"Hold it!"

Kurt paused where he was standing, a foot away from David still. He looked over his shoulder and saw Sebastian, and two of Sebastian's crew all pointing their guns at him.

He looked back out, realizing that Blaine was lost to him, and Kurt was as good as dead himself.


	9. Chapter 9

Blaine had already turned in two rabbits, a fox, and a buck, and was tracking another deer, when he heard footsteps behind him. He tensed, but didn't move, knowing that if it was another competitor, they were a terrible tracker and would leave in embarrassment once they saw that Blaine was there, and if it wasn't a competitor, he wanted the element of surprise.

Twigs were crunched and branches whipped behind him noisily and he realized that no competitor, stupid or not, would risk making that much noise and scare off the animals. He put a hand on a revolver in the holster and kneeled down to make it look like he was studying tracks.

The crunching had stopped and Blaine knew they, whomever they were, were now close enough to see him and hadn't retreated back into the forest. He heard a snicker and a voice spoke, "Look what kind'f prey we got here boys. The wild fag. Should look nice mounted beside that buck I got in my living room."

Blaine narrowed his eyes and slowly turned his head to look at who was making threats at him. There were three of David's men there, Kyle, Azimio, and one other he had seen around but didn't know the name of. All three had their guns pointed at him. Blaine didn't say anything, staying in the kneeling position with the hand turned away from the other men on his revolver while he just watched them and waited for them to make their move.

Kyle snorted and looked at the other two, "Damn injun blood must make him slow in the head. Hey half blood - stand up! We got our guns on you, not the other way around."

Blaine remained in place and stayed silent, playing the part of the foolish native since that's what they thought of him. He arched an eyebrow in question to them.

Azimio stepped forward and shook his gun at Blaine, "He said - get up!" As Azimio shook his gun and it pointed away from Blaine, Blaine took the opportunity to draw his gun and shoot the big black man in the thigh in one swift movement.

Azimio fell in front of Blaine, giving him protective, and noisy, cover. Azimio screamed and grabbed at his thigh, "Mother fucking asshole indian!" As the other two rushed forward to devoid Blaine of Azimio's cover, Blaine rolled on the ground behind the cover of a large tree trunk, backing against it and calculating their locations by listening to the movements on the ground.

Blaine drew his other revolver, so he was armed in both hands and prepared for when they came. But instead of hearing them continue to move forward, they stopped at where Azimio had dropped. The one Blaine didn't know started speaking, "You'd better get out here injun or your pretty little ass back in town will be the one paying for it!"

Kurt. Blaine's triangular brows pressed together in worry and he began recalculating his moves, knowing he needed to get out of there as soon as possible so he could get back to town and make sure Kurt was alright.

"We know he likes cock n' all, so we thought maybe he'd like a taste of real men's cocks. Give it to him until he realizes just how much of a lady he is and how pathetic you are."

All the calculating was tossed aside then and Blaine rolled out from behind the cover of the tree, firing all his rounds at their location in fury, too enraged to care about accuracy.

He was accurate though, and stupidly so, too blinded by his anger to see that they had each covered their chests with banking trays, big enough to cover their chests with several layers of separated metal - enough to absorb the shock of the bullets. His aim had been too good because none of the shots went outside of the chest area.

The men laughed while Azimio groaned and grabbed at his leg below them, cursing about the pain.

Blaine dropped his empty revolved and moved his hand to reach for the shotgun on his back when one of them fired a shot right beside his head as a warning, and he stopped.

"Now... get up asshole, before we just decide to kill you here and now and take out our rage on your little boyfriend."

Blaine swore in both his known languages but slowly got to his feet, keeping his hands up by his head, hoping for a chance to given so he could grab his shotgun, which wouldn't be stopped by a banking tray.

Kyle seemed to figure out what he was thinking and stepped over to Blaine while the other one kept his gun pointed on him. Kyle grabbed the shotgun off his back and picked up the revolvers on the ground, before moving behind Blaine, leaving him sandwiched between two guns aimed at him.

Azimio whimpered and the man by him tossed him a handkerchief from his pocket, "Stop your bitchin'. We're out in the middle of nowhere. You walk or you wait until we're done with this faggot to carry your ass back."

Azimio grumbled, but seemed to keep himself together, pressing the cloth to the wound and holding it down there to stop the bleeding. Behind him, he could hear Kyle moving around, but he couldn't keep his eyes on both of them without moving. He tried to calm himself, breathing rhythmically, he needed to regain his calm so he wouldn't make any more mistakes. He needed to get back to Kurt.

He heard Kyle moving up behind him and he braced himself, preparing to have a gun barrel in his ribs, instead he was punched in the back and Blaine fell forward onto his knees with a small cry. The force of that punch was too much. He looked back at Kyle and saw the man had left his guns behind and was wearing a set of knucks on his hands.

"Nice hey?" Kyle asked as he circled around Blaine, who was keeping his eyes trained on Kyle now and ignoring the other man who still had the gun aimed on him if he tried to run. Blaine remained kneeling, hands braced against the ground. "So David told me to spend a good little time making you hurt. He's mad at you for cheating at cards you know. You don't cross Karofsky's - or didn't your little butt buddy tell you that?"

Blaine knew that wasn't the real reason, but it did little good to tell them that. Another punch was landed against Blaine's side and he exhaled as the hit was made to reduce the shock on his body, though it still hurt like nothing else. He dug his fingers into the dirt below him.

"And of course, we can't have fags like you and Hummel threatening the moral climate of our good town either. Holding hands, kissing, what the hell are you boys thinking. You must have a death wish." Another punch to the opposite side this time. Blaine ground his teeth together and kept himself from yelling out.

Kyle began circling again, looking for a new place to hit so he could draw out this process. Nearby Azimio had stood up and was hobbling away, using the trees to brace himself as he went back to get his wound taken care of while Blaine was being taken care of.

"I personally intend to get back the money you cheated off me in cards, plus interest - even if that means I need to strip your dead ass down to sell your clothes, leaving your body as wolf food." Blaine jerked forward as a hit was landed on his left shoulder, popping it out of place and sending electrical shocks of pain through his body from that central point. He nearly bit his tongue keeping the scream in from that hit.

Azimio was now well out of sight and hearing range. Blaine dug his hands deeper into the earth as Kyle placed a punch to his cheek, leaving Blaine with two teeth sitting in his mouth that had become separated from his gums in the process.

Kyle laughed and stood back to admire his handiwork, looking over at his accomplice who nodded in approval, and then, just for that instant with the man holding the gun looking away, Blaine took his opportunity.

He stood up sharply and threw the dirt, leaves, and twigs he had gripped in his hands into the face of the gun holder, and also spit the blood and teeth in his mouth at him, causing the man to sputter and take a few fumbled steps backward, during which Blaine shot forward and pounded his fists into that man's face.

Kyle yelped and watched in shock for just a moment before making a run for the guns he had left behind.

Blaine kept bearing down on the man until he was sure he was knocked out, grabbing the gun from his unconscious hands and turning to aim it at Kyle, who had reached the guns but hadn't grabbed them yet, "Hold it!"

Kyle snarled, but stopped in place, looking at Blaine. "You show up in town and any and all lawmen that see you there have orders to kill you on sight."

Blaine didn't respond, standing up and keeping his aim on Kyle as he moved closer to the man.

"So here's what we'll do. I'll tell them I killed you and you run off and don't come back. You don't get killed, and I don't get killed. Win-win!" Kyle offered.

Blaine snorted and Kyle's shoulders drooped as he realized that the offer wouldn't be accepted. "Where's Kurt?"

Kyle shook his head, "How the hell would I know? I was sent here after you."

Blaine forced Kyle away from the guns by maneuvering between them, "Where's David Karofsky?"

Kyle looked over his shoulder at his fallen comrade, and then back at Blaine, "He stayed in town... Look. They put a bounty on your head. You're best just to leave."

Blaine shook his head, "Not without Kurt."

Kyle shrugged up his shoulders, "Well I can't give you him from out here man! What the hell do you want me to do?!"

"Drop the knuckles on the ground for starters."

Kyle grumbled, but removed the knucks from his hands, throwing them on the ground at Blaine's feet. "There? Happy?"

"Drop your handcuffs too."

Kyle raised an eyebrow, but took the handcuffs off his belt and threw them down by the knucks.

"Now lay on your stomach."

"What the fuck man! I did what you wanted!" Kyle said exasperatedly, throwing his hands up in the air. The movement made Blaine fire off a shot that flew just to the side of Kyle, a warning.

Kyle gulped and first knelt to the ground, then laid himself down, arms over his head, "Please man, come on... I'm complying..."

Blaine huffed and reached down to grab the handcuffs, using one hand to keep the gun aimed at Kyle while the other opened the cuffs. He put a cuff on Kyle's left wrist and then pulled Kyle's right leg back to put into the other cuff. "If you weren't such an ass, you'd make a good hog."

Kyle swore up at Blaine and tried to pull his stretched hand and leg loose to no avail. Then with a quick movement, Blaine brought the butt of the gun down on Kyle's head, knocking him out cold.

Blaine gasped then and leaned against a nearby tree, the pain overwhelming him. He could only take a moment though, collecting the guns and knucks once he had caught his breath and hobbling away, determined to get back to town and to Kurt.

He was dizzy though, and regretted leaving all his herbs behind, since he had one that would dull the pain and make it easier to push ahead. Every now and then he would have to stop as spots danced in his eyes and he lost his balance. It was on one such stop that the light spots in his eyes were joined by spots on a horse.

"Minnie..." Blaine groaned and reached forward for the horse who had appeared before him like something out of a native american folktale.

She whinnied and nudged her nose under Blaine's bad shoulder, causing him to whimper softly. He accepted the offer though, and pulled himself up on her saddle-less back with his good arm. "Go Minnie..." He murmured, slumping forward on her, fighting unconsciousness. "Go..."

So Minnie carried him, and somewhere between the forest line and the horizon, Blaine blacked out.

* * *

Kurt wouldn't respond to the questions being asked of him by the officers outside his cell. He had sat in the corner of the stinking cell, hugging his legs to his chest and hiding his face between his knees. The cell was about as big as his room, but certainly less homey. There was a pile of straw on the side opposite him meant to serve as a bed, but it looked and smelled like it hadn't been changed in quite awhile. A piss bucket was sitting in the corner opposite him, and it definitely needed to be washed out.

Out of his cell was several of Sebastian's and David's men, who were trying to goad him into talking, no doubt so they could get him riled up for their amusement. He was lost in himself though, knowing that every minute Blaine didn't show up, was a minute longer confirming to Kurt that something had happened to him, something he didn't want to think about.

He had earlier heard Quinn arguing with one of the guys in the front room, demanding that she be able to see him. He wouldn't let her pass by though and in the end she had called out that she has sent word to Kurt's family and that he should know she and her girls had his back.

Mike had also tried to get in, also to no avail, trying to insist that he needed to make sure Kurt was physically alright given that he was still healing from his attack. The guys in the front again turned Mike away, saying that Kurt deserved any pain he was experiencing, and that spending time and money fixing him in any way would be wasted.

Kurt already knew, before that was ever said, that he would be used as an example. He would be hung or shot, or worse. Somehow though, he wasn't all that upset about that. He wasn't crying over it, or fighting to get out. Kurt just sat and waited, letting himself daydream back to time spent in Blaine's arms, the most peaceful place he knew. If Blaine had been killed, then he didn't want to think about living without being able to spend time in those arms again. It was almost preferable to die instead.

He was numb. He was numb to the thought of death, and numb to what was going on around him. He didn't know if David was alive or dead, and he didn't care. He didn't care that he was going to be killed. He didn't care about his dad's disappointment. He didn't care that his friends were trying to help him. All he cared about was that Blaine was gone, and had taken his heart and hopes with him.

* * *

When Blaine awoke, he was no longer on Minnie and he wasn't in town. He was laying down near a fire pit in the centre of a forest clearing. He shot straight up, ignoring the shooting pains traveling through him from the places where he had been hit. He didn't know where he was and needed to be back in town.

"Whoa. Calm down there man. You look like you took a bruising." A voice spoke from nearby and Blaine looked to find its owner.

Across the fire sat a man dressed in a tanned leather vest, over a white top. He wore similar leather chaps over dark trousers tucked into tall dark boots with spurs. He didn't a have a hat on and Blaine could see that the man shaved his head down on the sides, leaving a short Mohawk Indian style cut on the top.

"Where am I? Who are you?"

The man held his palms out, "Calm down boy. My name is Noah. I was riding through these parts with my posse when we saw you and your horse by the river bank. She came up to us with you. Smart horse."

Posse. Blaine looked around and saw that they weren't alone at the camp. A couple other men were minding some horses tied to a nearby bath of trees and another was setting up a tent. Minnie was by the other horses, but not tied up, munching on some oats that had been put out for her.

"I need to get to Lima." Blaine said, still looking over the area and not looking directly back to Noah until he internally mapped out the situation he was in.

Noah made a thoughtful cluck of his tongue in his mouth and then spoke, "We try to avoid Lima. We've had some run-ins with the "law" there."

Blaine pulled the blanket off him and pushed himself up to stand, "I appreciate you watching over me and feeding my horse, but I need to get back there. That "law" you've had run-ins with is going to hurt the person I love."

Noah cocked his eyebrows both up and stood up as well, "Really now?"

Blaine nodded and scanned around for his guns, seeing them in a pile by the horses. "They just tried to kill me." He started walking toward the guns.

Noah stepped out in front of Blaine, "Hold up. If they already tried to kill you and failed, then running into town is certain suicide man. I get that they have someone you care about, but you won't help her by galloping in guns blazing."

"Him." Blaine corrected automatically and Noah arched an eyebrow but didn't respond. "And I can't just leave him there either. I won't."

Noah nodded and kept his hands up, palms out to try and keep Blaine from moving ahead, "Hear me out then."

Blaine paused and looked inquisitively at Noah.

Noah took that as a sign to make his offer, "Look, my boys and I, we're not angels or anything. We've been on the wrong side of the law plenty of times..."

"Talk faster." Blaine interrupted, not wanting to wait on a life story to get to Kurt.

Noah nodded, "Alright, alright. Long story made short. We help you get in, get your man, and use the opportunity to bring down some of the lawmen we have issue with."

Blaine looked at Noah's face as he spoke, and after as well, trying to determine if he could trust this man he just met. "I know I said speak quickly, but I need to know you aren't just going to turn on me when we get there and turn me in. What is your interest in Lima?"

Noah fidgeted with his hands nervously as he looked past Blaine to the other men and dropped his voice, "I'm not, we're not bounty hunters if that's what you're worried about. We all have ties to Lima and we just want to be able to see the people we've had to leave behind because of interference from the law there. I was booted out of town for knocking up a girl premaritally even though the Karofsky's and Smythe's do it all the time. I just want to be able to see my girl and her momma... Jake there is my little brother and he got kicked out because of me. Punished him for what I had done and he misses his mom a whole bunch. Joe tried helping the poor and spoke up against the loan sharking which got him in bad with them, and Matt had a girl there that one of the Smythe boys liked so had him kicked out of town so he could get the girl."

Blaine frowned, "Why use me as a prompt then to go back? Why haven't you already fought your way back?"

"We were already planning too but were short on arms..." Puck looked back at the guns Blaine was heading towards.

"So you're using me for my guns." Blaine said and Noah nodded to him. "Well I appreciate the honesty and I'll take any help I can get, but I won't follow any orders. I'll take care of my man and you take care of whatever you need to."

"Fair enough. It's all I ask, though we should at least coordinate a little to make sure we don't end up shooting each other."

Blaine nodded in agreement and Noah whistled over the rest of the men, "Listen up. We're going back to Lima!"

* * *

Kurt shivered a little in his little nook of the cell. It was night now and aside from a guard in the front room, he had been left alone. It was cold though, and he had no blanket to warm him, and doomed to die or not, he was not about to lower himself to snuggling into that pile of straw.

He had fallen in and out of little naps throughout the day, refusing to talk back to the boys trying to irritate him, or show any response at all. He daydreamed mostly, fantasizing about the things that wouldn't happen now. He had created a whole fantasy in his head about living in New York with Blaine at his side and had lost himself happily in that vision.

"Motherfucker..."

Kurt looked up and saw Sebastian had walked into the room, standing outside the cell with a scowl covering his entire face. Kurt always thought that Sebastian looked like nothing impressed him, and right now was no exception.

Sebastian was seething, wrapping his hands around the bars of the cell as he addressed Kurt. "Just so we're clear, you were nothing more than a whore to him."

Kurt looked blankly at Sebastian, face expressionless, though understanding that Sebastian knew about what David had done to Kurt, and was clearly not happy about it.

"You meant nothing. Nothing." Sebastian continued, clearly trying to evoke a response which he wasn't getting.

Kurt set his chin back down on his knees, closing his eyes and trying to summon back his world, ignoring Sebastian just as he had ignored the boys before. However he heard keys in the lock of his cell and the door opening. When he reopened his eyes, Sebastian was in front of him, looking ready to throw a punch.

"You're just lucky he's going to live! If you had killed him... I would have made your death long and painful and excruciating... now it'll be short and sweet." Sebastian hissed down at him.

Kurt watched the expressions going over Sebastian's face and a glimmer of recognition hit him, "You and him... were together..."

Sebastian's hand crashed to Kurt's face, and he winced, but didn't cry out. He had retreated so far within himself, that it was as if his body was separate from his consciousness. "You don't get to be the expert on this! You can't just flaunt what you have while I have had to hide what I had!"

Kurt didn't fight back as Sebastian hit him a few more times. It felt like his consciousness was hovering over him, watching what was happening to his body. Eventually Kurt's face was swollen and his nose and lip were both bloody, and Sebastian lost the energy to keep going, sinking to his knees and burying his face in his hands.

His consciousness slowly slipped back into his body and the pain and soreness hit him then, but he begrudgingly welcomed his old friend pain and then ignored it, leaning forward towards Sebastian, "I'm sorry. I didn't want to..."

Sebastian made a little roar of anger and stood back up, glaring down at Kurt, "If I can't be happy - neither can you!" He stormed out and yelled to whomever was in the front, "Get the gallows prepped. He's done tomorrow!"

Kurt sighed and rubbed his face, blood coming off on his hand which he then wiped on his pants. He summoned back the image of Blaine he was keeping in his mind and shut his eyes again so he could return to those imaginary arms being held out to him.

* * *

At dawn, Kurt was woken to the sound of the bars of his cell being banged on, "Get up! Time to size out your noose!"

Kurt winced and pushed himself up to stand, walking obediently towards the cell door where one of the boys cuffed his hands behind his back and led him outside. Kurt had to squint as the sun hit him straight in the eyes and when his vision had adjusted to the light, he saw he was being pushed to the centre of town, where the gallows were set up and a crowd had been gathered.

His feet felt heavy, but he kept thinking about how if everyone was right and there was some afterlife, he could at least be reunited with Blaine, whether in heaven or hell - at least they'd be together and away from all this, so he dragged them along, looking ahead blankly, still in his own little world which kept the reality of his situation safely away.

"Kurt! KURT!" A voice yelled and it was that voice, the same voice he had his first memories with, that lulled him to sleep at night, and had taught him everything he believed in that woke him from his waking coma.

"Dad?" He looked around for where it was coming from, seeing his dad, Carole, Finn, and Rachel being corralled back by some of David and Sebastian's boys.

Kurt's eyes teared up, and he was brought fully back to reality. He tried to pull away towards his family, but was yanked back by whomever was behind him. "Dad!"

Burt struggled against the lawmen, trying to get around them with cursing and threats, and Kurt could see the frantic panic in his dad's eyes. Rachel was crying into Finn, who just looked confused, while Carole tried to hold Burt back so he wouldn't get hurt by the lawmen who looked like they were ready to snap.

Kurt looked at the scene for a moment longer and then took a long, steadying breath. He couldn't lose it now. He couldn't be weak at this point. He couldn't let his dad see him scared and crying. He needed to be brave. He needed to look away from them and look ahead. Face his fate with courage.

So Kurt looked away and gritted his teeth together to keep himself focused. He kept walking, up the steps of the gallows and before the somber crowd. Judging by the encirclement of lawmen around the crowd, they had been forced to come, made to watch the hanging as a threat to them all if they retaliated against the order that had established itself in Lima.

He caught glanced of Quinn, who was trying to look back at Kurt bravely, but he could see the tears in her eyes. He saw Santana who had her face hidden in Brittany's shoulder crying, while Brittany looked away and stroked Santana's hair. Mike and Tina were there, holding onto one another, Tina also hiding her face in Mike's chest while Mike looked worriedly at Kurt. Through it all, he could hear his dad calling his name over the silent crowd, the panic and pain in his voice rising.

Kurt swallowed and looked over all the people there he cared about, and many others who had just given him stares his whole life, who despite their intolerance, didn't look like they were pleased about what was about to happen to him. Whether or not they agreed with what he was, he was another person who was going to be brought down and made into an example so the Karofsky's and Smythe's could continue taking advantage of them all. He realized they were all just as trapped as he had been, each in their own way and for their own reasons.

As his adam's apple bobbed in his throat, he felt a rope being pulled over his head and an involuntary shudder came over him, realizing that this was going to be it. He climbed atop a stool and the rope was adjusted behind him. He had not been asked to say any final words, but before they could kick the stool, he felt the need to speak.

"You need to fight back! You and I, we all have blamed them for our problems, but we're the ones who've allowed it to continue. If you don't want to live in fear for yourself or your family anymore, you have to take the risk and fight back! Don't let this continue!"

He could hear Sebastian snarl nearby and yell at the man beside Kurt, "Drop him already!"

"Don't let them get away with hurting the people you love! Dammit! Fight back! Or you're just cattle being led to slaughter!"

"DROP HIM!"

The stool was kicked out while Kurt was still speaking and he felt the ground disappear under him, his body falling into the space below but being roughly jerked up a little as the rope caught his neck and the air stopped in his throat. He gasped, but the air flow wasn't working and he couldn't feel his lungs fill up. He could hear the sobbing in the audience and his dad screaming.

Kurt could see spots in his vision, and his eyes closed. This would all be over soon enough his brain told him, and he wouldn't have to worry or fear ever again.


	10. Chapter 10

Blaine rested his gun on the edge of the roof he was standing on, using it to keep his aim steady because he knew he was only going to get one chance at this shot. If he missed a plate in a competition, it wouldn't be the end of the world. He'd maybe curse himself once for missing that kind of shot, but If he missed this shot, everything was lost to him. Everything had to be just right.

So Blaine held his breath, checked his aim once more, and made the shot, firing it over the crowd where it cut the rope around Kurt's neck perfectly, as if it was butter and the bullet was a knife. He watched as Kurt fell to the ground and stayed still for a few agonizing seconds before squirming against the cuffs holding his arms back and gasping for breath like a fish on land. Blaine breathed again too in that moment.

It was also in that moment that Noah and his boys circled round on their horses, shooting into the air, calls being made at lawmen that Blaine couldn't make out. Between what Kurt had said, and the arrival of Noah and his boys, the crowd became quickly incited, yelling and moving in on the lawmen who looked absolutely confused. Blaine didn't focus on any of that though, all he cared about was getting to Kurt in the ensuing chaos. He rushed down the stairs and pushed his way through the mess of crowd, trying to get to the gallows.

He could see there were others trying to get to Kurt and he drew his revolver, preparing to fight if he had to as he ran up the stairs leading to Kurt. As he got to the top of the stage, he came face to face with Sebastian who had a gun pulled out and readied at Kurt, though he hadn't taken a shot. Sebastian's arm was shaking, and when he saw Blaine approach, he turned the gun from Kurt to Blaine, "This is all your doing!"

Blaine shook his head, still moving forward, but much more slowly. Behind him an older man rushed to Kurt, kneeling and trying to get the rope off of him. Blaine kept Sebastian's focus though, keeping their eyes locked, "No..."

Sebastian snarled and threw the gun to the ground then, walking past Blaine with a shove to the shoulder and into the waiting crowd, who gleefully grabbed him to tie him up along with his boys. Blaine blinked a few times in confusion, wondering what he had missed and trying to determine if he had done or said something more to motivate Sebastian to give up, but finding nothing, he turned towards Kurt.

Any lawmen who might have also been on the stage were now fighting against or within the fray, and Blaine relaxed because the man attending to Kurt was doing so with kindness. Kurt murmured, "dad..." looking up at the man, and Blaine realized this was going to be his first encounter with the man who raised Kurt. He joined the father and son and knelt down to check on Kurt's welfare, drawing a curious glance from Kurt's father.

"Blaine..." Kurt whispered hoarsely as he spotted him and smiled softly, effectively turning Blaine's heart into mush, and making him wish Kurt's dad wasn't there so he could just grab Kurt and hold him tightly. Kurt's neck was red with a rope burn that circled it, and his face was swollen and bruised, streaks of dried blood on his face. He never looked so good to Blaine though, because despite all the blood and bruising, he was breathing.

"Hey..." Blaine had hoped something more eloquent would come out of his mouth in that moment but found himself at a loss for words, just grinning stupidly at the boy he loved.

Kurt either noticed his dads confusion, or at least suspected it because he introduced them next, "Dad, this is Blaine. He has this habit of saving my life and I'd wager I'm still breathing because of him right now..."

Kurt's father looked over Blaine suspiciously and then nodded, "Nice to meet you..."

Blaine found himself laughing, taking a moment to glance at the disorder below where the crowd and Noah's boys seemed to have taken advantage of the upset to overwhelm the lawmen who were now mostly in their own cuffs or on the ground. He looked back then to Kurt and his father, "Good to meet you too, especially given the circumstances."

Kurt's father and Blaine helped Kurt to his feet. The three of them surveyed the scene below, Kurt sandwiched between the men who were both ready to sweep him away at a moments notice. Blaine's hand around his waist and Burt's around his shoulders.

"Wow..." Kurt said after a moment, when it was clear the citizens had overpowered the Karofsky's and Smythe's.

Blaine and Burt just nodded in agreement to Kurt's awe. There were cheers going up through the people below and lawmen being tied up to posts until it was decided what would happen to them. Two groups had marched off to storm the Smythe and Karofsky manors, leaving the three men on the gallows ignored.

After letting the scene sink in, Kurt looked over at Blaine, "Is it weird that I just want to go and wash up with all this going on?"

Blaine grinned towards Kurt and shook his head, "No... Let's clean up and get ourselves sorted out. I think Lima can figure this out without us..."

* * *

Kurt finished wiping off Blaine's face, getting the last of the blood and dirt off it. He had already cleaned himself off, refusing to look in a mirror since he knew Sebastian's beating on him had left his face swollen and puffy, not unlike the side of Blaine's face he was cleaning off. They made quite the pair. Kurt made a mental note to check with Mike to see what could be done about lost teeth since Blaine had lost two molars from his attack.

"I don't think your dad knows what to say or do with me..." Blaine spoke and Kurt immediately put a finger to his lips to silence him.

"He's just a little worked up. He just had to watch me get walked to my death, strung up, and then saved at the very possible last moment. Really now.. You couldn't have been a minute sooner and saved a little bit of the drama?" Kurt joked with a little grin that faded into a lusty gaze when Blaine kissed the finger pressed to his mouth.

Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt then, resting his head on Kurt's shoulder with his face nestled into the crook of his neck. Kurt hummed, almost a purring sound, with the blissfully calming embrace.

"I thought I was going to lose you. I had to make sure my shot was perfect." Blaine whispered against Kurt's skin, his breath hot and humid on Kurt's neck.

Kurt reached up and drew his hand into Blaine's curls, weaving his fingers into them directionlessly, "I thought I had already lost you. I was alright with death."

They were both quiet for a long time after that until Burt came into the doorway, looking both hesitantly and suspiciously at the pair. "We've got a supper ready..."

Kurt nodded to his father, "We'll be down in a moment dad. Thanks."

His dad left his room then. His family had taken over the saloon below for the time being. Outside was chaos as the citizens of Lima celebrated and rioted all at once. Kurt had purposely ignored it, just happy to be alive and appreciating his love, family, and friends all the more given his near brush with death.

Blaine pulled himself up and stood, offering Kurt a hand which Kurt took quickly, pulling himself up and then keeping his hand with Blaine's, entangling their fingers together as they went down the stairs and into the kitchen, where a table had been set up with food in the centre and settings made. Kurt knew his family had no doubt noticed their joined hands, but to their credit, said nothing.

Once they got to the table, they had to separate and Blaine pulled the chair out for Kurt, who smiled sweetly and sat, enjoying the act of chivalry.

"Why don't you ever do that for me?" Rachel blurted out then, ending the silence, as she looked at Finn who was obviously taken off guard by the question and began sputtering in an attempt to respond.

The rest of the table laughed and the awkwardness was ended as they all ate and had varying conversations. Burt wanted to know if Blaine had any ranching experience, Rachel told Kurt all about the wedding plans, Blaine asked Carole about the recipe she had used, Finn asked Kurt about mending some clothing. It was all very loose and carefree until Carole asked,

"So what are your plans now boys?" She queried, looking intently at Kurt and Blaine. Everyone else's eyes followed and Kurt swallowed the bite of food in his mouth, looking over at Blaine who was already looking back at him with a begging look of 'save me' in his eyes.

"Well... Our original plan was to come visit you guys on the ranch once the competition was over and then make our way towards the east... New York, Boston, anywhere else but here."

Burt and Carole looked at one another, sharing a silent thought, and Rachel and Finn did the same. Then the eyes were back on him.

Blaine spoke up, "I asked Kurt to spend his life with me."

Kurt watched as his dad swallowed, and Carole had to elbow him in the side to get him to respond. "And Kurt... You..."

"Accepted." Kurt finished off for him, the drawing out of this conversation wearing on his patience. "I love him. I'm happy with him."

Burt nodded slowly and Kurt felt Blaine's hand on his thigh, a small squeeze given in thanks. Burt smiled then, it was slow to come over his face but it was genuine, "I'm happy for you then son. I was always worried you'd have to be lonely your whole life because of the way god made you... But I can see he made someone else to give you the love you deserve."

Kurt relaxed, not even realizing how tense he had been until then, "Thank you dad." Kurt looked to Blaine who had a goofy grin on his face, which turned flat the instant Burt added on one more statement. "But if you ever do anything to hurt my boy Blaine, I will hunt you down."

Kurt chuckled gently at Blaine's change in expression and his dad's unnecessary threat. Life was alright in that instant. No, life was perfect.

* * *

It was a week later and everyone was collected outside of the saloon. Burt had a wagon hitched up to two of his horses filled with items that Kurt was going to keep stored at the family ranch until he sent for them. Minnie and Kurt's new stallion, Kikife, were tied nearby.. The stallion was a gift from his family, and absolutely huge and black like coal. Minnie seemed small compared to him and Blaine had insisted on giving him a powerful name, explaining that Kikife was the word used to describe tornadoes, which apparently were quite destructive, though Kurt had never seen one or their aftermath.

Despite his size, Kikife was gentle and Minnie seemed to tolerate him well enough, though clearly held the attitude that she was still the alpha horse around. Both of their horses were saddled and had full saddlebags and bound bedrolls tied down on them, ready for departure.

The town was much calmer than it had been. Any competitors had long since rode out, new appointments had been made for sheriff and lawmen, and the Karofsky's, Smythe's, and those loyal to them had mostly left town. Ownership of shops had been given back to the people of Lima, and the atmosphere was much more happy and communal.

Kurt had healed up well enough for Mike to give him his blessing for heading out, and he and Blaine were a lot less swollen up, almost looking quite normal again. He glanced over at Blaine who was checking the shoes on Minnie to ensure they were good. Kurt's family had taken a trip to the stores in town to get what they needed for back at the ranch, giving Blaine and Kurt the first break from them in the week since he had nearly been hung.

Blaine caught his eye and smiled over, and that was all it took for Kurt to realize that he needed Blaine, now. He wasn't going to wait until they were camped out somewhere. He returned Blaine's smile with a stare, and a simple point to inside the saloon. Without any other indications, Kurt walked into the saloon, through the kitchen, and up to the room he was about to leave behind forever, stripped down to nothing and empty save for the chests and cot that stayed with it.

A moment later Blaine came through the door, looking somewhat confused, at least until Kurt sprang on him, laying desperate kisses to his lips and pushing him toward the bed. Blaine understood then and kicked the door shut with his foot before letting himself be led backwards to the bed where they haphazardly stripped down, leaving a trail of clothing alongside the bed, all between numbing their lips with frantic kisses.

Kurt laid back and Blaine shadowed over him, moving his kisses down from his mouth to his neck while Kurt moaned along Blaine's hand, cupped by his cheek. He took one of Blaine's fingers into his mouth and sucked it softly, rolling his tongue up and down the digit suggestively. The action made Blaine lift his head and release a shaky breath against Kurt's skin.

Kurt reached down then to grab around the base of Blaine's already hard cock, rubbing his thumb gently against the place where his testicles met his shaft, making Blaine release a low, whining moan, "Kurt..."

"Shh babe. Not too loud or they might find us..." Kurt said into Blaine's ear, half whispering as he pushed back on Blaine who let himself be led by the touch. In a moment, it was Kurt who was atop Blaine, working his tongue down around Blaine's nipples one by one while his hand gently stroked Blaine's cock up and down.

Kurt was enjoying Blaine becoming absolutely undone under him. Blaine had fists gripping into the mattress and his head was rolling back as he made a series of sultry, pleasured noises. He rolled his tongue down from Blaine's nipples, tracing the line from his stomach to his crotch while Blaine arched his back upwards, hips rolling forward, against Kurt in response.

Blaine kept his teeth pressed together to avoid calling out after Kurt chastised him for speaking already, but when Kurt pressed his lips over Blaine's cock, that ended. Blaine called out Kurt's name several times in ragged cries and Kurt had to pull his head back to allow Blaine to get control back over himself.

"Damn it... you're torturing me..." Blaine said, looking down at Kurt through half-lidded, impassioned amber eyes.

Kurt smiled up at him coyly, "I think you're enjoying it too much for it to be torture..." He bobbed his head back down over the cock then, causing Blaine to cry out again and buck his hips up into Kurt's mouth who was able to anticipate and brace himself for the movement.

While Kurt's mouth worked on Blaine's cock, he moved his hands down, one to rub against Blaine's dark puckered hole and the other one to tease his own.

Blaine whimpered softly, "Please Kurt... I'm not going to last..." and Kurt could feel the tension building in his cock as he said it. He lifted his head off Blaine's cock with a small smack and climbed back up Blaine where they renewed kissing each other.

Blaine's hands followed where Kurt's were and soon there were several of Blaine's fingers teasing along Kurt's hole, making him shiver as he realized his own need. He had come prepared though and murmured, "My vest pocket..." in between kisses, though at this point was ready to dry thrust himself back on those fingers.

Thankfully Blaine understood and let one of his arms fall to the side of the bed and dig through the clothing searching for the bottle of lube. When his arm came up with it in hand, Kurt couldn't help but whimper in anticipation, rubbing his hole up against Blaine's hand, "Please..."

Blaine coated a finger in lube and reached back to rub the rim for a second before Kurt ended that by backing onto the finger, letting it force its way up into him and filling him. Blaine went wide eyed and his cock twinged with the action, watching as Kurt moaned and began working himself up and down on the finger.

"God Kurt..."

Kurt looked down at Blaine lustfully and murmured, "More."

Blaine looked at him with surprise, but reached back to dribble lube over Kurt's hole, sliding in another finger when there was enough wetness to handle it it. Kurt continued thrusting himself back on the fingers and when Blaine crooked the fingers inside him and hit his prostate, Kurt let out a long cry of pleasure.

Blaine shuddered, watching the angelic boy on him in rapture. Kurt pushed himself up so he was straddled over Blaine, still fucking back on his fingers. Blaine added a third finger then and watched as Kurt's cock pulsed with the need for release.

"Please Blaine... Just want you..."

Blaine nodded, dribbling some lube down over his own cock and then tossing the bottle to the floor as he stroked the lube up and down his shaft. It took a lot of focus he didn't have to get himself ready because his eyes and ears were all on Kurt, who was the absolute pinnacle of sexiness in that moment.

It was Kurt then who held Blaine's hand down so his fingers were withdrawn, and Blaine watched in awe as Kurt positioned himself over Blaine's cock and slowly moved himself onto it, letting his hole swallow up the cock under him bit by bit. Blaine could have come from the picture alone.

Kurt pressed his hands onto either side of Blaine's hips, so Blaine couldn't thrust up. Kurt was making sure he was in control here. He worked himself up and down Blaine's cock, slowly at first and then with a faster rhythm. Blaine returned to gripping the mattress and whimpering, which led quickly into crying out, "Going to... going... Kurt!"

Kurt could feel Blaine stiffen under him and felt the cock in his ass tighten and ejaculate hot, sticky come. Kurt allowed himself to come then too, having been holding it back to make sure he got Blaine off, and let his come rain down over Blaine and himself while he continued moving up and down on Blaine until the cock was limp inside him.

A final gasp and Kurt pulled himself off, wincing at the loss within him, and then flopped down beside Blaine on his back. Both boys were breathing heavily and covered in sweat and come. Neither one cared in that instant.

Eventually Blaine murmured, "Told you I'd need to know your name so I could call it out..." and Kurt gave him a playful swat to the arm and a laboured chuckle in response.

They heard their names being called outside then so they quickly cleaned themselves up and redressed themselves, Blaine noting to Kurt that he might want to avoid walking more than he needed to with the limp he had going on which got another swat of retaliation.

When they went outside, Kurt explained that they had been in his room to ensure that they had gotten everything out. Santana, who had taken over ownership of the bar with Brittany, raised a suspicious eyebrow and spoke, "So you mean I need to clean boy juice off the walls then? Thanks a lot."

Burt and Finn both went white and started sputtering while Kurt hid his face in his hands and groaned, "Santana..."

She laughed and came over to give him a parting hug, "You make sure you send some letters now and then. Just because I'm boring ol' Lima stock now doesn't mean you get to forget about me."

Kurt returned the hug, "Never."

And so began a line up of hugs and promises to write and visit again one day. Gifts were presented, including a questionable one from Brittany - a garter belt.

"It also makes a nice headband!" She had noted to Kurt.

"Ah... I'll keep that in mind. Thanks."

Eventually Kurt and his father embraced and both shed a few tears, "You make sure if you're going to be out there, that you're happy. Don't ever let yourself be unhappy again son."

Kurt obediently nodded and rubbed the tears from his eyes as they pulled apart, "Love you dad."

"Love you too son."

* * *

They had been on the road for about three hours and the sun was coming down around them when Blaine suggested they make camp. They shared in the camp set up and were soon sitting in front of a fire, eating biscuits that Carole had packed for them.

"Blaine...?"

"Yes?"

"I was thinking..."

Blaine smiled over, "Well let's hear it then."

"Instead of going straight east, could we just travel for a bit? No one is waiting for us there, and I haven't ever been out of Lima." Kurt looked over to Blaine as he spoke.

Blaine simply nodded over, smiling sweetly, "I will follow you wherever you want to go. My home is with you."

Kurt returned the smile, "Then I guess we're both home."

* * *

**_Just as a parting note, I want to just explain that I really like David Karofsky in canon. I'm not a Kurtofsky shipper by any stretch (Klaine all the way!), but I do really like his storyline of coming to terms with his homosexuality and being able to befriend Kurt. David is definitely not canon in this story, and while I hesitated to use him as the role of abuser, he was the best fit. _**

**_Also, this ending leaves it open for me to do some one-shots based on the story if I feel so inclined. )_**


End file.
